After a decades-long sojourn in America, two of Frans Hals‘ children recently permanently returned to their home-country. Or rather: two small paintings were acquired jointly by the Frans Hals Museum and Maurtshuis at a New York auction, earlier this year. These two paintings are now on display at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, which owns one of the largest collections of paintings by Frans Hals.
The museum is celebrating the children’s return by welcoming visitors without charge on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July. The children are receiving visitors at this museum till the 7th of September. If you are unable to meet them in Haarlem, no worries. They will attend an exhibition at the Mauritshuis in The Hague later this year.
The works are quite small, measuring just 20cm x 20 cm. They are currently displayed in one of the most impressive period rooms of the Frans Hals Museum. As Frans Hals painted these images on wooden panels, special preservation and security measures are in place.
Sotheby’s presumed the two paintings from the Saunders Collection were possibly from a series depicting “Five Senses“. Though research by teams of the Frans Hals Museum and Mauritshuis Museum is on-going, there is evidence the two works are not part of such a series. Previous owners seem to have ensured the works were kept together, with Sotheby’s provenance starting with an inventory from 1661.
However, chief curator of the Frans Hals Museum Ms Christi Klinkert, revealed an even earlier Leiden inventory. It lists two portraits by Frans Hals, showing two of his children. What is not disputed is that Frans Hals painted both works: he signed them as well.
Both works show the loose style Hals often used in non-commissioned works. Enlarged images show a nearly impressionistic style in the hair of the girl, fur-hat of the boy, collars of both children. The two are engaged in making music. Contemporaries mention the Hals family as a musical one.
The girl is caught singing while apparently beating a rhythm with her right hand. The boy is quickly looking over his shoulder, while playing the violin. Is his mouth open because he is singing too, or is it the effort?
The two works date from 1628. At the time, Frans’ eldest daughter by his second marriage was about 10 years old. His eldest son from this marriage was just a year or so younger. Like many other Dutch painters, Hals used his family as cheap models.
So if you visit the Frans Hals Museum, or later this year the Mauritshuis Museum, you will likely admire Susan Hals and Frans Hals Junior, who returned to the country where they were born, played, grew up, were captured in these charming images by their dad, while engaging in a shared hobby: making music which in art is a symbol of harmony.
Of course, the Frans Hals Museum owns and exhibits many other works by Frans Hals, as well as by his contemporaries. The museum recently also acquired a work by Maarten van Heemskerck and also exhibits modern art. Visit the museum’s website for all information to plan your visit. Kate Den 16th July 2025
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FRANS HALS’ CHILDREN COME HOME continues at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem until 7th September
