You won’t spend a better half-hour than this. A masterful elucidation of a masterpiece. And that’s by way of saying: Welcome to Part II of Helena’s art history and art appreciation tour of the Wallace Collection. Today’s painting is Frans Hals’ portrait, The Laughing Cavalier. Usual recommendation: open up the Wallace Collection’s reproduction of the portrait and drink it in while Helena takes you through it, heightens your appreciation and understanding. Here’s the link to the Wallace Collection reproduction.
these garments would have been extremely expensive
think of all
He never takes his eyes off you
His supreme self-confidence and pride
His passion for high style, luxury living
level of detail is unprecedented
the symbols shown in the jacket
doesn’t just give us the intricate pattern
the sumptuous shimmering black doublet
a vision which never fails to capture and captivate
a living person caught in a passing moment
never have I felt so much the living presence of a portrait than when standing in front of The Laughing Cavalier
It’s the most unsettling, unnerving experience
the swift, brusque, disjointed brushwork
the light always comes from the left-hand side
the bravura of his brushwork
it wouldn’t be a flattering portrait but it would be a truthful one
we can make a good stab at assessing his personality
the sitters having a living presence
criticisms of his dissolute lifestyle