The Haarlem painter Frans Hals is, like Rembrandt and Vermeer, one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. In this book, art historian Antoon Erftemeijer acquaints the reader with Frans Hals in an accessible and surprising way: what did he look like, who were his predecessors and contemporaries, and what makes him so unique?

Frans Hals primarily made his name with his lively group portraits and his virtuoso portraits of highranking gentlemen, drunkards, laughing children, and musicians. This publication explains why famous artists such as Van Gogh, Manet, Liebermann, Whistler, and so many others admired Hals so much: they regarded him as the first modern painter.

The book is richly illustrated with many details and a selection of 69 of Hals' most famous works from international collections.