Artwork
Malle Babbe
Malle Babbe is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Frans Hals. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Malle Babbe is a painting by Frans Hals. It's an oil painting from 1640.
The painting has been interpreted in different ways over time. It was once seen as a depiction of a mythic witch-figure, but now it's often identified as a portrait of a specific individual from Haarlem.
To learn more about the artist behind this work, look up the artist: Frans Hals.
Overview
Malle Babbe is an oil painting by Frans Hals, created around 1633-1635. The work is currently housed in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman, traditionally interpreted as a witch or a tronie, but now often seen as a portrait of a specific individual from Haarlem, possibly suffering from alcoholism or mental illness.
Technique & Style
The work is characteristic of Hals' style, executed in oil paint, and classified as a genre-style portrait.
History & Provenance
The painting has been known by different titles, including Hille Bobbe and the Witch of Haarlem, reflecting its changing interpretation over time.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Frans Hals the Elder (UK: US:; Dutch:; c. 1582 – 26 August 1666) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. He lived and worked in Haarlem, a city in which the local authority of the day frowned on religious painting in places of…
