Frans Hals Research Center

Many questions

Frans Hals ranks alongside Rembrandt and Vermeer as one of the most famous, innovative artists of the Dutch 17th century. Over the centuries, his vivid, loosely-painted portraits of real authentic people have inspired visitors, and artists too. There are still many questions regarding Hals on which experts have yet to find agreement.

The Frans Hals Museum has set up the Frans Hals Research Center to examine the many questions regarding Frans Hals. The FHRC’s mission is to provide a scholarly platform to facilitate, encourage, collect and disseminate the study of Frans Hals. The focus is the studio practice of Frans Hals. How did he go about his work? How did this compare with his predecessors and contemporaries and how did this impact on later artists?

The FHRC’s aim is to increase knowledge about Frans Hals through cooperation in the Netherlands and abroad. This may take various forms, such as (contributions to) publications, conferences, restorations and exhibitions.

Examples of cooperative projects include:
Frans Hals symposium
RKD Study Frans Hals
Restoration of MASP Brazil
Restoration of Regents and Regentesses 2018
Biannual Frans Hals Lecture with Codart