Singing Boy with Flute

Frans Hals

circa 1623

Singing Boy with Flute by Frans Hals, circa 1623

Frans Hals captures a fleeting moment of musical joy in this lively Baroque portrait from around 1623. The young singer, sporting a ridiculously oversized white feather in his hat, gestures enthusiastically with one hand while clutching a flute in the other. Hals’s signature loose, energetic brushstrokes make the boy feel like he’s about to burst right off the canvas and start a tavern song. It’s a perfect snapshot of 17th-century Dutch merrymaking, showing us that getting completely lost in a good tune never goes out of style.

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