Why did Frans Hals paint monsters in his friend's portrait? | National Gallery
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- Опубліковано 15 сер 2023
- Curator Bart Cornelis explains the meaning behind a hidden monster and skull in this 17th-century portrait by Frans Hals, and how they helped to identify the sitter as Isaac Massa.
He's accompanied by one of our restorers, Paul Ackroyd, and Larry Keith, Head of Conservation and Keeper, who help reveal this painting's secrets.
🎨 Find out more about the artist Frans Hals: www.nationalgallery.org.uk/ar...
🎨 Book tickets now for 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Frans Hals'
Open 30 September 2023 - 21 January 2024
Link: www.nationalgallery.org.uk/ex...
Hals was one of the most sought-after painters of his generation. A gifted artist whose deft brushwork was unparalleled, he built his reputation on a new style of portrait - highly unusual in his time - that showed relaxed, lively sitters, often smiling, and even laughing.
This exhibition, the first major retrospective of Hals in more than thirty years, means a new generation can discover why he deserves his place as one of the greatest painters in Western art.
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So, essentially, this was his way of saying "Haters gonna hate"
When you paint your bro's Most Awesome Sleeves with Envy and Vanitas looking on drooling in the first draft for a gag, and cause learned academics to come up with deep theories about the symbolism centuries later...
He's definitely got an expression of "Really? Come and get some." on his face, and the defiant posture of crossed arms, while richly clothed. I'd say originally it was a message of "F-you" to all of his detractors. IMHO.
Yet another gem; interesting, informative, perfectly presented! I look forward to every one, keep them coming.
Thank you, Gerry!
Conservators uncover such fascinating mysteries. Thanks for sharing your shared observations.
Very good content. The visuals, script, timing, the tone, the research, the candour and maturity of the speakers. The editing and the background music. Very well done.
Fascinating story. It's a beautifully posed portrait that really draws you in.
Absolutely. A brilliant portraitist! Hope you're able to come to the exhibition and see more :)
The juxtaposition the figures of envy and death to Massa's pose could suggest a defiance to his critics. The intricate gold brocade displays to the best advantage with crossed arms, showing he prospered regardless of his detractors.
Since Massa's right arm is shown bent across his torso in all three paintings, is it also possible that he had an injury or congenital issue with this arm. Or, perhaps, Massa always preferred this stance and would insist on the pose regardless of what Hals may have suggested.
Frans Hals being like: Haters be hatin'
Or a Bras d'honneur... gesture certainly known by any russophile, and quite in par with the cheekiness of the portrait :D
It's really incredible what you can find behind the layers of paint in a painting. Thanks for the great explanation.
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The deep complexity of the artist's connection wit the spiritual realm.
Yes… not explicitly stated, but the envy might ‘explain’ the somewhat defensive pose of the crossed arms, and look on his face.
Yes, absolutely. That's the likely reading of the pose given these discoveries.
Interesting stuff, Art is always important.
I think that for Massa and possibly the artist, the background was a defiance "you wish me ill but here I am, well & thriving". Alternatively, could it be Hals made this background, didn't like it and painted it over? Or Hals tried out some background figures, Massa didn't like it or didn't think it worked, and painted it over leaving the portrait alone with a uniform background? The figures that have been overpainted don't strike me as final products but as the kind of things I would do while trying an idea that in my mind looks much better than it does on the canvas.
Fantastic video, thank you for sharing!
Our pleasure, thank you for watching
so fascinating...thank you
You're very welcome
Interesting, thanks for sharing ❤
Our pleasure
Incredible sleuthing!!!! Thank you for sharing!
We're delighted to hear you enjoyed it
wow this was fascinating ! Thank you :)
Isaac Massa be like "haters gonna hate"
I love this! ❤
Interesting stuff.
I've loved art history for a long time, studying it only as a side interest as I do whatever subject sparks my interest. Dutch and Flemish art always sort of grabs me and I always find myself slowly moving my head closer to the illustrations of these paintings and trying to decipher odd and fascinating details not generally found (in my estimation) in other European art of the period; with the exception of maybe Italian art. But Italian art of that period is overwhelmingly religious. Dutch and Flemish art is overwhelmingly NOT religious, and one finds depictions of secular scenes that are often full of small things that seem to have little to do with the subject of the painting; as if the artists were using (often commissioned) canvasses to experiment, to do something simple and minute yet novel and ingenius, and to show future viewers how clever and inventive they were (unpretentiously because they were being incredibly clever and inventive, and were fully aware of what they were doing). One might see the artist as being somewhat arrogant or ostentatious, but I generally view them as being humorous and sly; perhaps trolling the patron without the patron ever noticing. I always liked the Hals paintings I've seen, and he can be a little dark, but VERY good. It has made me wonder, like, what the hell was going on in that part of Europe (besides the obvious prosperity and trade and blah blah blah). There was something deeper; like a culture full of brilliant and humorous eccentrics. And the clothing? 😆 Can you imagine wearing that stuff? Imagine you go to Walmart and people are shopping for their paper towel holders wearing those get-ups. I dunno...I think it's great; utterly fascinating. There is so much to process in the art but also beyond the art into the world the art is depicting; depicting incredibly well, by the way. Some of the paintings look like photographs. One has to look at the painting for some time to train the mind to see that it is painted, not photographed. Long comment...just so fascinating. Perhaps it will inspire someone unfamiliar with that corner of art history to go take a deeper look and see what they think.
Obsessed that this is the 1600s version of a flex
amazing - the seated portrait i have seen at the ago - i will take a closer look when it is back with us in canada - thank you for this fascinating information :)
That's incredible. What does it say on the scroll?
Hi there, this is unclear, we believe it may be lettering, although it is not legible.
Why did Frans Hals paint monsters in his friend's portrait? | National Gallery 0958am 16.8.23 it would have been interesting if he actually did that- create an official image and an unofficial monster strewn image. i like that thought.
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters- Massa is perhaps then Hercules in the oil painting after the engraving book?🤔The muscular third character with lion skin(Identifiable, and seen covering the hero’s head), the club, and slain hydra from the labors of Hercules as seen in the symbol book would be a fitting character for Massa to embody particularly if he, and his friend, Hals saw him as a long-suffering hero the subject of envy/jealousy of others, and beset by a creature that grows another head when one is destroyed! Hals treatment of the skull reminds me more of the 3:1 scale 3D print of Joseph Merrick’s(The Elephant Man’s) skull in my art studio than the one in the symbol book seen here that more resembles Dürer’s depictions of Death or Satan rather than Hals interpretation!☠️👹🐍🎨
Any info about the upper left item? I believe it was said to be a coat of arms? It's so interesting that modern sleuthing and techniques literally shed light on old secrets hidden by paint. Fascinating. 😊
Unfortunately, we can't say very much about that item! It seems to have lettering on it, but even that is not totally clear, let alone legible. A mystery :)
I wonder if the pose was chosen to best display those gorgeous embroidered sleeves which proudly demonstrate “this guy can afford very expensive clothes”
@@nationalgallery Thank you. 😊
What about the coat of arms and scroll?
Unfortunately, we can't say very much about that! There seems to be some lettering but it's not clear let along legible.
6:49 I didn’t know that death has a beard, but it makes sense. The mighty men with their scythes and clubs trampling the snake Tiamat or Medusa. 😂 Oh, dear.
The coat of arm over his right shoulder also looks like a woozy wine goblet
What does the scroll symbolize
Sadly we can't see it clearly enough to tell!
A wishful title deed. 😄
Hals portrait of another friend, Verdonck, contained a similar message, jawbone associated with badass Samson. It was overpainted more than 100 years later with a glass of wine as demanded by wife of the collector. The glass fit in so well the painting was not restored for another 100 years approx. A protective greasy layer under the glass allowed full jawbone restoration, just like those bone reconstruction ads you see.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieter_Verdonck
This painting is also on show in our current exhibition on Frans Hals too! www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/the-credit-suisse-exhibition-frans-hals
I think it was more that it was all the rage to out memento Mori your neighbors (probably also kept you out of political trouble). Skulls and monsters were a mark of style and culture. It shows your neighbors you are pious
One thief more royal than another, immortalised by painters whilst posing with a title deed scroll, the skull as a prompter of wishful blood lineage, the ambivalence of the snake blood line, and the most ridiculous pose (was this chap mummified?). 🙄😄
Russian broker posed
Crossed arms gesture soothed subtle
Memento mori
#haiku #portrait
He painted those things there to ward off death and envy.
So Isaac Massa was the original gangsta?
Could those monsters have been painted by another artist later?
It would be very interesting if a reproduction is made with the original images.
Somebody call Dan Brown
And why didn't you remove the covering already?
Looks more like he's turned around whilst sitting forward in the chair to look at someone to have a chat .
I don't know anything about art, but aren't those poses kind of US of American? I wonder what the relation could be? Was it informed by a Dutch economic culture that would eventually prefigure something similar in the USA?
Wow. I know art history isn't a hotbed of innovation, but how hard up for ideas do you have to be before you present THIS as your thesis?
Your assessment is wrong. someone who pays you to paint several portraits is not your friend. He is either your, patron or your jailer. The two heads point to the latter.
The cretinous graphics showing me what arms etc. were, as if I didn't know made me click out. Maybe just make vids for three-year-olds?
You missed out. The humble will see what the proud cannot.
Maybe don't get you knickers in a knot over nothing. Surprised you could see the video with your head up your rear.