An illuminating study of the seventeenth-century Dutch artist Frans Hals, a true revolutionary in the field of portraiture and one of the most sought-after painters of his generation. This publication provides a fresh appraisal of this singularly gifted artist, placing Hals and his work in the context of his time. Illustrated with a selection of details that showcase his exceptional talent, this book reveals how Hals’s inventive approach transformed portraiture from a merely functional genre into an expressive, imaginative art form.