Professor Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design at the University of Westminster, has contributed to the new exhibition of Frans Hal’s most famous paintings at The Wallace Collection.
Showcasing in Autumn 2021, the paintings will be the first ever show to focus solely on Hals’ portraits of men posing on their own, bringing together dozens of the artists best male portraits from collections across the UK, Europe and North America.
The collection will feature some of Hals’ most famous paintings, including The Laughing Cavalier (1624) and Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman (1634) alongside each other for the very first time. Exhibits date from the beginning of Hals’ career in the 1610s right up to the end of his life in 16666.
Talking about his contribution, Professor Groves said: “I’m thrilled to have been asked to be a part of this new exhibition analysing the male portraiture of Frans Hals at The Wallace Collection. I was asked to contribute my thoughts on Hal’s depiction of men’s fashion in the 17th Century and its relevance to modern menswear as part of a supplementary multimedia guide that brings the individual portraits to life through rich commentary provided by a diverse group of people, adding additional layers of meaning to the paintings.
“Across more than 50 years of his career, Frans Hals completely revolutionised the male portrait through pose and virtuosic painterly technique. Hals created something entirely new and fresh from the finely painted early works to the restricted palette of later years with the bolder, broader, and more fluid brushwork that inspired the Impressionists. He infused his works with vitality and animated presence that was, at the time, entirely new to portraiture. Each portrait carries its own striking individuality, communicating its sitter's identity through pose, gaze, and costume.”
Exhibition Curator at The Wallace Collection Dr Lelia Packer added: “This exhibition gives us an opportunity to marvel at Hals’s technical virtuosity and explore the notion of manhood in 17th-century Holland, and the ‘male gaze’ when it is turned on men. As well as addressing notions of gender and masculinity, the exhibition also focuses on individuals and their self- presentation. We have assembled a fantastic group of proud and determined figures, each of whom vie for our attention and communicate their stories through their very deliberate portrayals.”
Book tickets for the exhibition on The Wallace Collection’s website.
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