HALS, Dirck
(b. 1591, Haarlem, d. 1656, Haarlem)

A Garden Party

1627
Oil on panel, 78 x 137 cm
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

A party is taking place in idyllic parkland near a villa. The guests are wearing festive clothes and having a merry time eating, drinking, making music and flirting. Dirck Hals, a younger brother of Frans Hals, portrayed the various figures in great detail. He borrowed one or two of them - a woman and a dog - from Willem Buytewech. This outdoor party scene is not based on reality, but recalls the garden of love, a popular late medieval theme.




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