“Boy holding a Flute (Hearing)” is a painting by Frans Hals, created between 1626 and 1628. This artwork is executed in oil on panel and is recognized as part of the Baroque movement. It falls within the genres of portrait and tronie—an informal study or character head.
The painting depicts a jovial young boy looking directly out at the viewer, with a bright, engaging smile on his face. His cheeks are rosy, suggesting a sense of liveliness or perhaps the aftermath of playing his flute. He holds a flute up with his left hand, touching his face, which aligns with the painting’s informal title and the suggested sense of hearing it is meant to invoke. The boy is dressed in a costume of the period, including a white, lace-collared shirt and a buttoned-up vest. Brushstrokes seem loose and lively, contributing to the sense of immediacy and spontaneity in the subject’s expression. The background is minimal, keeping the focus squarely on the boy and his arresting smile. The artwork is circular in shape, known as a tondo, which was a popular format during the Renaissance and may have had lingering popularity into the Baroque period in which Hals was painting. Hals’s use of lighting and shadow gives depth to the boy’s features and clothing, embodying the dramatic contrasts typical of Baroque art.
