From smiles to secrets – what makes Frans Hals’ portraits so special?

The 17th century Dutch artist is known for his lively technique and jolly sitters. But is there more under the surface? A new exhibition at the National Gallery reveals all.

Frans Hals, The Laughing Cavalier, 1624, Oil on canvas, 83 × 67.3 cm, © The Wallace Collection, London

Smiling presented two problems 400 years ago. First, in polite society it was deemed inappropriate to show teeth when smiling. Second, smiles were rather hard to paint. But neither of these stopped Frans Hals. Not only did he paint people smiling and laughing, he also became famous for it.

When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you. And Frans Hals was on a mission to spread the joy one portrait at a time. His paintings reveal an otherwise hidden side of the 17th century – better known through the dark broodiness of the many works of Rembrandt and the suggestive elusiveness of Vermeer’s rare ones.

Frans Hals, Bust of a Laughing Boy with a Flute, about 1630, Oil on wood, 37.5 × 37.5 cm, © Staatliche Schlösser, Gärten und Kunstsammlungen Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schwerin

Hals’ most well-known painting is The Laughing Cavalier. If you haven’t seen it at its normal place of residence, then you might have seen him as a cat, dog, shark, or any other homage that the internet so generously provides. The new Frans Hals show in London is the first time ever (ever!) that the painting has left the Wallace Collection, and seeing it at the National Gallery is one of this exhibition’s special treats.

But – The Laughing Cavalier isn’t even laughing! Certainly not in the way you and I laugh. That belly wobbling, tears-out-of-the-eyes chortling after a good joke or watching Mr Bean isn’t what Frans Hals’ man is about. A more precise title would be The Confident Cavalier. With his dandy stance, richly embellished clothes, know-it-all smile, and a twinkle in his eyes – he is one cool cavalier indeed. But is he laughing?

Frans Hals, Portrait of a Woman, probably Cunera van Baersdorp, 1627-8, Oil on canvas, 123.8 × 95.3 cm, Susan and Matthew Weatherbie Collection

What is fascinating about one-man shows is that you suddenly realise that a painting which you always felt was special is in fact just one of many similar works. With the possible exception of Picasso, most artists do things that they do best, piece after piece. It is the curator’s job to convince the viewers that there is something different and special about each work, or at least each period. And working with an old master it is further complicated by trying to make well-known oil on canvas paintings seem interesting to the modern viewer.

Hals’ portraits depict many confident people, including, surprisingly for the time, assertive women. Portrait of Cunera van Baersdorp shows her in the hand-on-hip pose normally reserved for men. While most works present respectable members of society, one room is dedicated to images of bohemian characters, underscoring Hals' skill at painting people laughing.  

Frans Hals, Portrait of a Couple, probably Isaac Abrahamsz Massa and Beatrix van der Laen, about 1622, Oil on canvas, 140 × 166.5 cm, © Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 

The show notably brings together several pairs of husband and wife portraits that time had seen separated.These are characterised by their seriousness – at the time commissioning such images was a status symbol and proof of good social standing. At the same time, Hals created one extraordinary double portrait of a man and his wife who seem happy to share both the painted space and presumably their lives together.  

Also fascinating is how the painter lets us discover the public and private sides of his sitters.  Willem van Heythuysen appears in two contrasting paintings. One is the grandest full-height portrait in the show, while the other much smaller one shows him in an almost comic position – reclining on a chair standing precariously on its back legs. 

Frans Hals, Portrait of Willem van Heythuysen Seated in a Chair, about 1638, Oil on panel, 47 x 36.7 cm, © Private Collection, Courtesy Richard Nagy Ltd., London. Photographed by the author at the exhibition at the National Gallery.

On the surface, Hals seems to have only ever done one thing – portraits. And the vast majority are not unlike The Laughing Cavalier – even down to the hand-on-the-hip pose and the lush lace cuffs. But there is just enough in this show to argue that even though he only did one thing, he did it well.

His talent and skill are particularly striking in the few works that Hals made in collaboration with other artists. Or at least they are striking if you have been advised to look closely. Friso Lammertse – the curator at the Rijksmuseum – drew our attention to it. Look at Militia Company of District XI under the Command of Captain Reynier Reael, known as 'The Meagre Company', painted partly by Hals and finished by Pieter Codde. Do you notice any difference between the characters on the left and those on the right? Can you guess which side was done by Hals? His are the ones that are in a seeming state of movement and jolliness – from their faces to the curtain by the wall. The other men just stand there.

Frans Hals, Militia Company of District XI under the Command of Captain Reynier Reael, known as ‘The Meagre Company’, 1633 (completed by Pieter Codde, 1637), Oil on canvas, 209 × 429 cm, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. On loan from the city of Amsterdam, © Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (SK-C-374)

In the collaborative work Young Woman with a Display of Fruit and Vegetables, Hals painted the young woman, while Claes van Heussen completed the fruit and veg. The rich and lavish still-life creates a poignant contrast with an approachable and lively vendor. Lammertse believes it is Hals’ best portrait.

Frans Hals and Claes van Heussen, Young woman with a Display of Fruit and Vegetables, 1630, Oil on canvas, 157 × 200 cm, Private Collection, © Private Collection, courtesy the owner. Photo: the author at the National Gallery.

These are all things that we can glean from the exhibition itself. But with Hals there are also hidden secrets behind the paint. Bart Cornelis, the curator of the show at the National Gallery, told a story of the Portrait of Isaac Abrahamsz Massa. On the surface, we have a typical Hals portrait – an assured man in elaborate clothes – with a particularly fabulous golden embroidered sleeve. There is possibly a whiff of standoffishness – his arms crossed at his chest instead of the usual hand-on-hip dandiness. But recent infra-red investigation of the painting has revealed two further characters – a monster and a skull – hovering perilously behind the sitter’s shoulder.

Isaac Massa, in addition to being Frans Hals’ friend, was also a diplomat and grain trader. His success earned him many envious detractors. Was this portrait possibly a message to his enemies – the envy monster being trumped by death? But why was it overpainted? So many secrets, so much to discover. Massa appears in two further portraits in the show. In one he is turning over the back of the chair to look at us – an extremely unusual pose. In another he shares a pleasant moment with his wife – both clearly very happy – perhaps an unusual situation in marriage.

Frans Hals, Portrait of Isaac Abrahamsz Massa, 1622, Oil on wood, 107 × 85 cm, The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, © The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth. Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees.

Admired in his own time, Hals was rediscovered during the 19th century and prized by the artists of the time for his loose painting technique, not completely unlike that of the Impressionists. This is particularly evident in his later works, displayed in the last room of the show. Today his skill as a painter is compared to that of Rembrandt and Velázquez. The exhibition is the first-in-a-generation chance to see his works all in one place. It may also bring a smile to your face.

The Credit Suisse Exhibition Frans Hals is at the National Gallery, London, until 21 January 2024