The Merry Drinker

Frans Hals (signed by artist), c. 1628 - c. 1630

This work is a pinnacle of Hals’ bold and loose ‘rough’ style. The brushstrokes criss-cross the canvas, creating the impression of rapid execution as well as suggesting movement. The sitter, likely a civic guardsman or a military man based on his attire, is just about to raise his glass to toast with us.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-135
  • Dimensionssupport: height 81 cm x width 66.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on canvas

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • The Merry Drinker
    • A Civic Guardsman Holding a Berkemeier, known as 'The Merry Drinker'
    • The Merry Drinker (former title)

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-135

  • Description

    De vrolijke drinker. Lachende man met baard en grote zwarte hoed, ten halven lijve, met een berkenmeier in de linkerhand en opgeheven rechterhand. Om de hals een medaillon aan een ketting.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature, ligated monogram, centre right: ‘FH’

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Frans Hals (signed by artist)

  • Dating

    c. 1628 - c. 1630

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    support: height 81 cm x width 66.5 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

Acquisition and rights

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1816

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …: sale, Baroness Hermina Jacoba van Leyden van Warmond, née Comtesse de Thoms (1744-1814), Warmond Castle, sold on the premises (P. van der Schley et al.), 31 July 1816, no. 13 (‘un guerrier ayant un visage riant et tenant un verre à la main […] sur bois; haut 2 pieds 7 pouces, longue 2 pieds 2 pouces’ [74.6 x 61.8 cm]), fl. 325, to De Vries, for the museum

Documentation

    • H. Kaufmann, 'Die Fünfsinne in der Niederlänischen Malerei des 17. Jahrhunderts', in: Kunstgeschichtliche Studien, Breslau 1943, p. 141, afb. 22 (misschien de smaak of meer speciaal de geneugten van het drinken).
    • Rijksmuseum Kunstkrant, Jaargang 33 (sept.-okt. 2007), nr. 5, p. 9
    • F. Desbuissons, A l'enseigne du Bon Bock, in: La revue de Musée d'Orsay nr. 30 (automne 2010) 48, 14, p. 35, fig. 2

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