Shrovetide Revellers (The Merry Company) 1615

Frans Hals’s *Shrovetide Revellers* (1615) is a lively depiction of a group of revelers celebrating Shrove Tuesday, a pre-Lenten festival in the Netherlands. Hals was a master of capturing the energy and spontaneity of his subjects, and this painting is no exception. The composition is dynamic, with the figures positioned in a seemingly casual yet carefully arranged manner, their expressions ranging from joyous to mischievous. The work embodies Hals’s characteristic style: bold brushstrokes, a preference for muted hues, and a focus on capturing the fleeting moments of human interaction. The painting is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.