Wonderful portrait of Pieter Jacobsz Olycan by Frans Hals — at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. Criticized during his lifetime — his brushwork was considered to be lazy and unfinished — it took almost two hundred years for his work to become fully appreciated.
The Impressionists were particularly impressed by the freshness of his technique. Vincent even wrote to his brother Theo 'What a joy it is to see a Frans Hals, how different it is from the paintings – so many of them – where everything is carefully smoothed out in the same manner.'
Painted in 1629, it’s hard to believe it’s nearly 400 years old, but I suppose the ruff is a bit of a give-a-way.
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