Portrait of a man aged 38

Frans Hals's Portrait of a Man Aged 38 of around 1638 belongs to his series of age-inscribed half-length portraits that document the specific biographical moments of Haarlem's bourgeoisie. The thirty-eight-year-old man's confident bearing and the formal costume create the characteristic image of Dutch mercantile maturity, and Hals's particular observation of this specific sitter's physiognomy distinguishes him from the generic type. The direct gaze and composed expression suggest a man accustomed to having his decisions respected.

Hals captures the sitter's features with the rapid, almost aggressive brushwork of his prime years, each stroke placed with decisive purpose. The white collar stands out against the dark costume with crisp brilliance, its folds suggested rather than described.