Stock Characters, Lighting, and Movement: Looking Critically at Hals' Genre Works

Merrymakers at Shrovetide (1616-17)

Compared to Hal's late portraits, Merrymakers at Shrovetide may seem chaotic at first glance. Likely painted between 1616-1617, Merrymakers at Shrovetide depicts a throng of partygoers celebrating Shrove Tuesday, known widely today as Mardi Gras, an array of food laid out before them. A close look at this lively painting does not reveal chaos, however. Rather, every detail in the painting has a specific function, ultimately adding to the liveliness of the festival as much as Hals' brushwork.

The figures in Merrymakers at Shrovetide are not mere bystanders, but fully realized characters. Hals, who was a part of a rederijkerskamer in Haarlem, a small Dutch dramatic society, embedded several theatre stock characters into the painting. Leaning over the woman figure's ruff is Pekelharing, identifiable by the herring, eggs, and pig's foot hanging from his collar. Pekelharing is a character that fits perfectly into the context of this painting—Pekelharing is a character known for his foolishness, and Shrovetide was at the time referred to as a celebration of fools. This foolish spirit plays out in the painting itself—Pekelharing tries to whisper a presumably vulgar comment in the woman figure's ear, lifting his fist daintily with self-satisfaction and causing one of the background figures to turn away in disgust. The stock character Hans Wurst, identifiable by the sausage hanging from his headdress, nudges his elbow jestfully toward the woman on her right. Hans Wurst's depiction fits his character's traits as well. Wurst, known for being comedic, gives the woman a tricky look. Though his eyes gaze longingly, his mouth furls into a sardonic smirk, perhaps teasing his comrade.

This theme of theatrical characters raises an interesting question about the central figure herself. As several Art Historians have commented, the ornately dressed woman figure may very well be a man dressed in drag, as women were not allowed to partake in theatre at the time.

Though not as clear as the three characters in the foreground, the background figures, who were not revealed until 1950 when the painting was cleaned, contribute significantly to work. These figures are what give the viewer the sensation of being cramped in a crowded place—Hals' loose brushstrokes make their faces almost blend together, giving the sense of a large, amorphous crowd that continues well beyond the frame.

In terms of lighting, the scene appears to be outdoors in the evening. From each figure's flushed cheeks we might imagine that it is warm, especially amongst the crowd. To communicate this festive outdoor environment, Hals uses many warm grays, giving the painting a silvery glow. The brightest detail if the woman figure's lace ruff, which was likely painted as a final layer.

Closest to the viewer is an array of festive foods and objects laid out on a table that extends beyond the frame. As Art Historian Seymour Slive points out, these objects have been chosen not only for their aesthetic qualities but also for their connotations. The clams, sausages, and bagpipes all carry sexual undertones, adding to the painting's theme of pleasure. The large pitcher of wine, where Hals has planted his signature, also carries a message of self-enjoyment particularly relevant to a party scene.

Young Man and Woman in an Inn (1623)

In Young Man and Woman in an Inn, Hals forms a similarly celebratory image. Though this scene is indoors, the depiction of light is comparable—Hals again uses warm grays to evoke the silvery glow characteristic of a cheerful moment. In terms of lighting, an added touch that does not appear in Hals' Merrymakers is the distinct highlight in each figure's eye. These highlights draw attention to the figures' eyes, and thus to their expressions of bliss.

Whereas Merrymakers at Shrovetide depicts a more diffuse dynamism, Young Man and Woman in an Inn suggests more distinct forms of movement, which are key to the painting. The viewer sees the young cavalier outstretching his arm to raise his glass, while his companion pulls at his shoulder with her right arm, and reaches towards him abruptly with her left. Additionally, a bystander in the background glances in their direction while a dog buries his face in the cavalier's empty hand. Even the cavalier's clothing moves. His hat appears to be whipped back as he lifts his head, pushing up against the young woman, its feather falling to the other side of her head. Up near the glass, the lace attached to the cavalier's cuffs curves up at either side, emphasizing the swiftness of the motion. This strong sense of movement accomplishes two things. First, it provides a structure for the painting's composition—the lines of the figures' arms and the directions their eyes face all point to the upper left corner of the frame, either to the raised glass or some other object of their pleasure. Secondly, this strong sense of movement reinforces the idea that the viewer is peering into a brief, yet truly sublime moment, which in turn reinforces the central message of celebration.