Frans Hals : style and substance ; [issued in conjunction with the exhibition "Frans Hals in the Metropolitan Museum", on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, from July 26 to October 10, 2011

Portraits and genre scenes by the great Dutch painter Frans Hals (1582/83–1666) are celebrated for their immediacy and dazzling brushwork. His dramatic compositions and bold technique brought his subjects to life in an unprecedented way. This book focuses upon eleven major works by Hals from the Metropolitan Museum's collection, supplemented by two Hals paintings from private collections and a selection of other Dutch paintings and prints. The pictures included here span forty years of Hals's career, from the early __Merrymakers at Shrovetide__ of about 1616 to engaging portraits he painted in Haarlem during his later years. The author discusses the formation of Hals's style, emphasizing his stay in Antwerp in 1616 and his knowledge of Flemish masters and of contemporary critical thinking. For the first time, Hals's work is considered in the context of broader European trends, in particular the Early Baroque movement that flourished in Antwerp during the 1600s. Portraits and genre scenes by the great Dutch painter Frans Hals (1582/83-1666) are celebrated for their immediacy and dazzling brushwork. His dramatic compositions and bold brushwork brought his subjects to life in an unprecedented way. This book showcases eleven major works by Hals from the Metropolitan Museum's collection. Walter Liedtke. Issued In Conjunction With The Exhibition Frans Hals In The Metropolitan Museum, Held July 26-oct. 10, 2011, At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 48). This is a showcase of 11 major works by Frans Hals. The author also discusses the formation of Hals's style and considers his work in the context of broader European trends