The famous Frans Hals painting The Laughing Cavalier has gone on display in The Wallace Collection, following the launch of its new exhibition in September, in collaboration with men’s health charity Movember. One of Hals’ most beloved paintings from 1624, this new exhibition is the first time the painting has been showcased with other works by the artist.
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The Wallace Collection is a significant location for the exhibition – the founder, the 4th Marquess of Hertfordshire, famously purchased the painting in 1865 for more than six times the estimated price, consequently increasing the artwork’s value.
The exhibition, titled Frans Hals: The Male Portrait, will showcase several of the artist’s portraits of men which were highly praised for their realism. Other famous paintings by the artist, including Portrait of a Man, also make an appearance.
The focus of the show is to demonstrate how Hals revolutionised the male portrait, whilst also displaying Hals’ changing technique throughout his career. This exhibition is the first time The Laughing Cavalier and Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman, painted in 1634, will be displayed together, giving visitors the opportunity to compare the paintings to determine whether or not they in fact are depictions of the same figure.
Frans Hals: The Male Portrait exhibition is at The Wallace Collection from 22nd September 2021 until 30th January 2022. For more information visit wallacecollection.org.