Paulus Verschuur (1606–1667)
Frans Hals, 1643
About this artwork
Frans Hals, one of the masters of the Dutch Golden Age captures the confident gaze of Paulus Verschuur in this striking 1643 portrait. Painted in oil on canvas, the measures nearly four feet tall, emphasizing subject's commanding presence. Verschuur (1606–1667), a prominent Haarlem figure during a prosperous era of trade and civic pride, is depicted with Hals' signature loose, energetic brushwork that brings a sense of immediacy and life to the canvas. Hals' technique—bold, visible strokes and subtle color transitions—revolutionized portraiture, moving away from the stiff formality of earlier traditions toward a more naturalistic vitality. This painting exemplifies his mature style, blending psychological insight with technical bravura, as seen in the textured rendering of Verschuur's lace collar and fur-trimmed jacket, symbols of 17th-century Dutch affluence. Now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, gifted in 1926 in memory of Collis Potter Huntington, this portrait invites visitors to ponder the era's entrepreneurial spirit. Hals' ability to convey character in a single glance makes it a timeless highlight of European painting.