Arcadópolis
The Gypsy Girl
Frans Hals, c. 1628–1630
What you see
A young woman with long, tousled reddish hair fills almost the whole picture, from the waist up. Her head tilts slightly as she glances sideways to the right, out of the frame, with a broad smile that shows her teeth. She wears a loose white blouse, open at the neckline, and a red bodice.
Behind her, the background shifts from greenish brown on the left to a grayish blue on the right that looks like a cloudy sky. The blouse is made of long, broken strokes that suggest the folds without spelling them out. Keep an eye out for the lock of hair falling over her forehead, the flush on her cheeks and the pale streak crossing the background at right.
About Frans Hals
Frans Hals lived in Haarlem and was the great portrait painter of joy: his sitters smile, laugh and seem about to speak. He painted with quick, loose brushstrokes, very modern for his time. Van Gogh and Manet admired his way of painting.
More by Frans Hals
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