Artwork
Willem Coymans
Willem Coymans is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Frans Hals. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:center right: AETA SVAE.22 (second 2 has been changed to a 6) / 1645 [1] [1] The second numeral of the sitter’s age has been changed to a six. Above the inscription is the sitter’s coat of arms, consisting of three black cows’ heads on a gold field.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium allows for the fluid brushwork typical of the artist's style, capturing the sitter's likeness with the immediacy associated with Hals's technique.
Frans Hals executed the portrait of Willem Coymans in 1645 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 77 centimeters in height and 64 centimeters in width. Created in Haarlem, the painting exemplifies Hals's characteristic handling of oil on canvas for portraiture during the mid-17th century.
The medium allows for the fluid brushwork typical of the artist's style, capturing the sitter's likeness with the immediacy associated with Hals's technique. The canvas remains the original support for this classified painting, which is currently held in the Andrew W. Mellon collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
Frans Hals painted Willem Coymans in 1645, in Haarlem, where it remained within the Coymans family until at least the late 19th century. By 1894, the portrait belonged to Mrs. Frederick Wollaston in London before passing through the Sedelmeyer Gallery, Paris. Rodolphe Kann acquired it by 1897, and in 1907, Duveen Brothers purchased the work alongside Kann’s entire collection.
Arabella D. Huntington bought it shortly after, and upon her death in 1924, it passed to her son, Archer M. Huntington. Duveen Brothers reacquired the painting in 1928 and sold it to Andrew W. Mellon the following year. Mellon deeded it to his educational trust in 1934, which gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1937.
The portrait of Willem Coymans, painted by Frans Hals in 1645, is currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of the Andrew W. Mellon collection. The work entered the museum's holdings in 1937 via a gift from The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, following its acquisition by Andrew W. Mellon in 1929. Prior to this, the painting passed through the Coymans family in Haarlem and was owned by Mrs. Frederick Wollaston in London.
It was subsequently acquired by Rodolphe Kann in Paris by 1897 and sold to Duveen Brothers in 1907 before reaching the Huntington family. The painting has been associated with the Charles Sedelmeyer collection. No specific exhibition dates are recorded in the provided sources.
Overview
Frans Hals the Elder's 1645 oil on canvas painting depicts Willem Coymans. This portrait exemplifies the artist's distinctive approach to capturing individual likenesses during the Dutch Golden Age. Created in Haarlem, where Hals was a prominent figure, the work reflects the period's demand for sophisticated portraiture among the affluent. It showcases the subject's social standing through conventional poses and attire, characteristic of the era's artistic trends.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Willem Coymans seated, his serious demeanor and elaborate clothing signifying his elevated social status. His formal pose and direct gaze suggest an intention for the portrait to convey authority and lasting presence. Hals meticulously rendered Coymans's facial features and hands, emphasizing individual characteristics while adhering to the established conventions of Dutch Golden Age portraiture for depicting prominent citizens.
Context
This portrait emerged from the vibrant artistic environment of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of significant economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. In cities like Haarlem, a burgeoning merchant class and local elite frequently commissioned artists like Hals to commemorate their status through individual and group portraits. Such works served both personal and public functions, reflecting societal values and artistic innovation of the 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…
