Banquet of the Officers;

Banquet of the Officers is a prime example of the highly profitable group portraits in which Frans Hals specialized. Here is portraying one of Haarlem’s militia companies, which consisted of the most eminent citizens in the city. Hals was celebrated for his lively depictions of groups, which stood in stark contrast to the rigidity of traditional group portraits. Rather than present the figures in an orderly row, he produced a scene of action, variety, and naturalness by giving each figure a distinct personality and pose. Although his portraits appear spontaneous, Hals works were always skillfu... Mehr ...