Dirck Hals
Master of Dutch merry company scenes
Dirck Hals, born at Haarlem, was a Dutch Golden Age painter of merry company scenes, festivals and ballroom scenes. He played a role in the development of these types of genre painting. He was somewhat influenced by his elder brother Frans Hals, but painted few portraits. According to Houbraken he was the brother of the painter Frans Hals and was specialized in small paintings of "conversation pieces" or "merry companies" (Dutch: Gezelschapjes), scenes of small groups drinking and enjoying themselves. The Haarlem writer Samuel Ampzing mentions both brothers in his Praise of Haarlem with a poem stating that both brothers were exceptional; Frans painting his portraits "awake", and Dirck painting his figures "purely". According to the RKD he worked in Leiden in 1641 and 1648, and was an influence on the painters Nathaniel Bacon, Johann Hulsman, and Willem Cornelisz Duyster. His son Anthonie also became a painter. He was buried in the Waalse Kerk (Haarlem).
Relationship Network
Influenced by
Influenced
Siblings
- Frans Hals Younger
Artworks by this artist
- Merry Company ca. 1620
- A Youth Holding A Flask
- An Outdoor Party c. 1620 - c. 1630
- Children Playing Cards 1631
- An Elegant Couple Standing By A River
- A merry company in a palatial interior, with musicians and tric-trac players 1628
- Tavern Scene 1639
- Merry Company 1628
- Study of a Standing Youth in a Hat 17th century
- A Banquet 1628
- Tric-Trac Players In An Interior 1626
- Zwei reichgekleidete holländische Frauen an einem Tisch sitzend, die vordere hat ihr Gesicht gegen den Beschauer gedreht, die weiter zurücksitzende blickt auf die erstere
- A Ball 1643
- The Fête champêtre 1627
- The Merry Company
- Merry Company 1633
- Merry Company on a Terrace 1625