ABSTRACT
Frans Hals tended to blur the lines between portraits and other kinds of subject matter. To achieve the effect of individuality and vitality that was his strongest suit throughout his career, he took liberties even in formal portraits, which ordinarily tend to be bound by tradition. Though he was not averse to the use of traditional formats and poses, Frans Hals brought to his portraits a liveliness and dash that made them stand out amidst their competitors. The style of Thomas de Keyser gives a good idea of the best in portraiture at the time when Rembrandt came to Amsterdam, where he settled in 1632, already recognized as a gifted portraitist. Bartholomews van der Heist too was capable of creating an image of a lively event and, at the same time, an ensemble of portraits of impressive individuality.
