"Red Alert"

6 x 8"

oil on panel
sold

I took a break from painting larger pieces and loosened up with this flirty moment - a woman seemingly being eyed by the Portrait of a Member of the Haarlem Civic Guard by Frans Hals.

Frans Hals (the Elder) was a Dutch Golden Age painter during the time of Rembrandt, a portrait artist much like his contemporaries.  I found it amusing that Hals insisted he stay in Haarlem and his clients needed to come to him to sit for a portrait, and it apparently worked for years because he did achieve success until he went out of style.  He was also an art restorer, dealer and art tax expert for the city.  Turned out the city and creditors sued him numerous times for debt and seized several pieces of furniture and paintings to settle. Left destitute, he was afforded a city pension but left nothing of note for his family when he died.

His portraits are hung in museums around the world.  There is a Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, Amsterdam, Antwerp, the Louvre in Paris, the Frick and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to name a few.

The Portrait of a Member of the Haarlem Civic Guard hangs in the National Gallery of Art DC.

"Cheers"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

The morning after I finished this painting, I opened up the New York Times and saw an advertisement for 'Frans Hals in the Metropolitan Museum', featuring his painting 'Yonker Ramp and His Sweetheart' - the same as in my painting. That was cool - I love Frans Hals's work, it's dark and somewhat creepy.

This piece will be included in the upcoming group show at 16 Patton in Asheville, my collection is New York Life.

Please click here for a larger view.