Индивидуальные портреты Халса носят черты жанровой картины. Лучшим примером этого является портрет старухи, «гарлемной ведьмы», Малле Баббе, с совой на плече. Эскизная манера была типична для Халса. Незадолго до смерти Халс написал два групповых портрета обитателей приюта для престарелых, в одном из которых он окончил свои дни. На портретах изображены старые люди, покорившиеся времени. Монохромный колорит портретов создает особый трагизм, подчеркивая драматизм судьбы самого больного, одинокого и нищего художника, создавшего свои самые драматические произведения на девятом десятке жизни.
Искусство Халса имело большое значение для развития портрета, бытового жанра, пейзажа и натюрморта в целом.
VI. Summarize the text.
Vll. Topics for discussion.
1. Hals's style and characters.
2. Hals's artistic achievements.
Unit XVI Rembrandt (1608-1669)
Rembrandt van Rijn is the greatest Dutch master, one of the supreme geniuses in the history of art. To this day the art of Rembrandt remains one of the most profound witnesses of the progress of the soul in its earthly pilgrimage toward the realization of a higher destiny. The son of a prosperous miller, Rembrandt was born in Leiden in 1608. He was trained as a painter by two minor local artists. His rapid success promoted him to move to Amsterdam in 1631.
In 1632 Rembrandt's worldly success was assured. He had more commissions and pupils than he could accept. He married Suskia van Uylenburg, the lovely daughter of a wealthy family. He bought a splendid house, started a collection of paintings and rarities.
The universal artist dealt with many world subjects. Rembrandt painted, engraved and drew more than eighty self-portraits. Rembrandt was a master of portraiture. He created around fifty portraits.
The best group portraits painted by Rembrandt are the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, of 1632, and The Night Watch, of 1642. In the former Rembrandt has not only painted faces, beards and lace ruffles, he has given the composition a new drama. Mystery dominates in his painting, reminding the living of their own inevitable destiny. As for The Night Watch, the members of the Company of Captain F. B. Cocq were dissatisfied with the colossal group portrait. The subject of the painting is the formation of the militia company for a parade. Through wonderful effective lightning Rembrandt has turned a narrative prose into a dramatic poetry. Real events are submerged in the symphonic tide of the colouring. All the men paid equally to have themselves depicted, yet some are sunk in a shadow, one man is concealed except for his eyes. It was inevitable that Rembrandt would lose popularity as a portrait painter, although not at once.
