In the 19th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. 1626 'Portrait of Isaac Abrahamsz Massa', which is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 21, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 30, in his 1989. It was accepted by Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and William Valentiner. It has been included in the all of the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century, as well as in those of the twenty-first. Prior to its acquisition by the Art Gallery of Ontario, in 1955, it had been in the collection of John Spencer (1924-1992), father of Diana Princess of Wales. The painting features a seated man depicted in a three-quarter view, turned slightly to his left, his face angled toward the viewer. The subject is clad in a richly textured black garment, adorned with subtle patterns that add visual depth. Around his neck, he wears an extravagant white ruff collar, its intricate lacework radiating outward in soft folds that frame his face. Its landscaped background—on suggestion of Seymour Slive, and his proposal for who painted it—has ignited a debate in Hals studies about hals’ landscapes; a conversation that has continued since talk of someone helping with Hals' landscapes was first discussed by Wilhelm von Bode, in 1922.

Read Claus Grimm’s 2024 article about Hals’ landscapes and his proposal of Gerrit Bleker being the one who created them within several of Hals' paintings, published in Old Holland.

Read Wilhelm von Bode’s 1922 article 'Frans Hals als Landschafter'.

You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 18th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. early-1660s portrait of Issac Abrahamsz Massa, which is in the collection of the Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, in Kassel, Germany. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 217, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 145, in his of 1989. The portrait was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937, 1962, and in Haarlem in 1990. Issac is portrayed with Hals' characteristic swift, confident brushstrokes: a muted and muddled color palette defines the work, with deep blacks and earthy tones, subtly punctuated by the crisp white collar, which serves to frame the subject's face and draw the viewer's eye to his, slightly mischievous expression. The relaxed pose, with one arm draped over the back of a chair, is quintessentially Hals, reflecting his ability to break from formality and imbue his portraits with a candid, conversational quality that distinguishes his work from that of his contemporaries. Often considered an anomaly, though nearly entrancing when spending prolonged period of looking at the painting in person; this portrait from Hals' last years of his career, and life, displays the mature techniques he had by then refined, concerning contours and borders—which imbues the work with a complex layering of paint, creating 'foggy', vector-like expanses on the canvas.

Learn more about Issac Abrahamsz Massa.

You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.

In the 17th episode of 'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast’, I discuss Frans Hals' c. 1620s work titled The Lute Player, which is in the collection of the Louvre. Seymour Slive numbered the work number 19, in his 1974 catalogue, and Claus Grimm accepted it as number 24, in his 1989. It was accepted by Wilhelm von Bode, Cornelis Hofstede de Groot, and William Valentiner. It was included in the solo Hals exhibitions of the twentieth century of 1937 and 1989-1990, though only in London for the latter. Prior to its acquisition by the Louvre in 1984, it had been in the collection of Gustave de Rothschild (1929-1911). In this painting, a young man, likely a jester or musician, is depicted in a dynamic, three-quarter view. He is dressed in a vibrant costume consisting of red and black stripes, with red tassels and golden ornaments adorning his attire. The work is one of Hals' few paintings that have transcended his oeuvre to become part of popular culture during his own and current times, and the works is best known as being present in the Leiden painter David Bailly's (1584-1957) self portrait, which dates from c. 1651.

View the work over on the website of the Louvre.

View David Bailly's self-portrait on the website of the Lakenhal.

You can find John on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠@johnbezold⁠⁠⁠⁠ and at his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠johnbezold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

'Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast' is published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Semicolon-Press.