Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem
The birth of the Art of Painting in Holland. Enjoy a curated museum tour
Entrance of the Old Mens’ Home, now Frans Hals Museum.
Zoom classes! At the moment, most museums in the world are either closed or very limited in entry. That is a rough, troublesome time for us art-lovers. But this is also the perfect moment to learn more about a a number of western painters, art schools, era’s etc. I can guide you digitally through many, many art museums on Zoom. With the help of my 10.000+ image bank of my own photographs.
New. Powerpoint available. Frans Hals, master in human expression, precursor to the Impressionists.
“The lectures continue to inform and entertain…I’m already getting rave reviews”. Sarah, a private art group now taking their 7th consecutive class with Drs Kaldenbach. September 2020.
When all is well again: New: Private Audio system available. Join me for a great visit to the Frans Hals museum. This Museum in Haarlem presents a unique phase in art history: the birth of Dutch Painting after 1450. You will need time slot tickets for your own group and a free one for me.
Frans Hals Museum also shows many of the XXL Frans Hals group portrait, rare masterworks of Civic Guard groups Board Members plus individual portrait paintings by Hals. Its collections of large Frans Hals group portrait paintings are unique in the world. Hals allowed himself a radical free approach to painting, becoming an inspiration to Impressionists and later painters. A fresh breath of air!
Period rooms and painting galleries are housed in this fine former Old Mens Home. Also of major interest are the galleries of early Dutch paintings of the Haarlem School, with some 5 intelligent characters who brought the qualities of the Renaissance to Holland. Here, in huge, fleshy, complicated paintings (Mannerism) but also in small-size works, one can witness the birth of painting in the Golden Age. A group of learned scholars-cum-painters wanted to lift the art of painting and knowledge to higher levels.
One of the specialties is flower painting.
Tour by Drs Kees Kaldenbach, a professional Art History scholar with excellent teaching skills. Specialist in Fine art and Design, Architecture and History. VIP entry. During my Art History study I did an internship here.
Drs Kees Kaldenbach: „…he is wildly overqualified to be a guide . That is his secret… Trust me on this.” Gabe. Statement made February, 2017.
The impressive Virgin painted by St Luke, by Van Heemskerck. Once an altarpiece in the St Bavo.
Detail, The Virgin painted by St Luke, by Van Heemskerck. Once an altarpiece in the St Bavo.
Frans Hals, Platoon of the St Joris Civic Guard. Top left, second man is the master himself.
Self portrait of Jan van Scorel, belonging to a group portrait of the brotherhood which traveled to Jerusalem.
Berchem, a painter which was truly expensive in the 18th century. In his works an echo of Claude Lorraine.
Detail. Berchem, a painter which was truly expensive in the 18th century. In his works an echo of Claude Lorraine.
Grand Hall with large Frans Hals group portraits,
Jan de Bray, Caring for Orphans, celebrating civic-mindedness.
Floris van Dijk, Banquet from an age without plenty, supermarkets.
The Haarlem painter Verspronck, portrait of a group of board members doing social services. Their wards are shown on the right hand bottom.
Business card. The logo refers to Vermeer.
HOW TO GET THERE
Haarlem is easy to reach with public transport, by train under half an hour. I hold a Dutch Railways rebate card. For this train tour I can offer you a special rebate of 40% for three separate adult railway tickets. This makes it economical for you as clients. I can join you from your hotel or from the Amsterdam train station.
Various other options are open to you: a) You can hire a car and drive it yourself, and I will join you starting in Amsterdam and will advise you about the best route. b) We can hire a professional taxibus service at around E 70 per hour for about 4 to 5 hours. On top of that you will pay me as the specialist guide. This is the more expensive option.
In corona times: Digital visits with Zoom classes.
Visit 40 museums by seeing my digital photo files, 10.000 + images