Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History


    • Merrymakers at Shrovetide, ca. 1616–17
    Frans Hals (Dutch, 1582/83–1666)
    Oil on canvas; 51 3/4 x 39 1/4 in. (131.4 x 99.7 cm)
    Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913 (14.40.605)

    This important early painting by Hals dates from about 1615 and recalls contemporary works by the Flemish artist Jacob Jordaens in its coloring, brushwork, and crowded composition. The subject is Vastenavond (Shrovetide or Mardi Gras), a pre-Lenten feast devoted to fools. Two of the figures are recognizable as stock characters from comic theater: Peeckelhaering (Pickled Herring) with the garland of eggs and sausages, and Hans Wurst with sausages on his cap. The young woman (a male actor?) is surrounded by food, objects such as the bagpipe, and an obscene gesture, all of which comprise a chorus of sexual references. The painting inspired copies and versions by Haarlem artists and in its coarse humor brings to mind Adriaen Brouwer, Hals's famous Flemish pupil of the 1620s.

    This work of art also appears on Connections: Dutch

    Related


    This work has been published in the Museum's Bulletin or Journal. These articles may or may not represent the most current scholarship.
  • Haskell, Francis. "The Benjamin Altman Bequest." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 3 (1970).
    JSTOR | PDF
  • Liedtke, Walter. Frans Hals: Style and Substance
    • On view: Gallery 634
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    • Merrymakers at Shrovetide, ca. 1616–17
    Frans Hals (Dutch, 1582/83–1666)
    Oil on canvas; 51 3/4 x 39 1/4 in. (131.4 x 99.7 cm)
    Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913 (14.40.605)

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