Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
By Frans Hals
Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
Officers and Sergeants of the St George Civic Guard
The most important positions in the city were frequently controlled by a few wealthy and prominent families. For this reason, officers of the civic guard were often related to one another. Colonel Johan Claesz Loo (10) was the owner of the Three Lilies Brewery, but was also a member of the Haarlem city council. Sergeant Nicolaes Loo (16) was the colonel’s son. The colonel’s son-in-law, Florens van der Hoef (4), was captain. He served as counsel, sheriff, mayor. Captain Nicolaes Grauwert (5) was the colonel’s brother-in-law. The figure second from left in the top row (19) is traditionally believed to be Frans Hals himself. Hals joined the guard in 1612, but rank and file guardsmen were never pictured in portraits of the guard. If it really is Frans Hals, it would mean this portrait is quite exceptional.