The exhibition Virtuoso! Israels to Armando, on view at Frans Hals Museum – Hal from 29 June until 3 November, is all about masterfully, accurately and lively painted, in short virtuoso art. Dutch artists have traditionally been true masters of this genre, with housemaster Frans Hals as shining example. Starting point of the exhibition are the Dutch Impressionists, including old masters such as Isaac Israëls and Thérèse Schwartze. But also expressionists such as Karel Appel and Alphons Freijmuth often painted in a virtuoso manner. Colossal abstract canvases full of dynamism by Ger Lataster, Armando and others form, together with work by contemporary artists such as Peggy Franck and Evi Vingerling, the Grand Final of this pure viewing experience of a full century of Dutch virtuoso art.

How did the virtuoso painting style manifest itself over the years? And which artists succeeded in finding further innovation or a deepening of their painting style along the way? Is virtuosity still alive in contemporary painting? These questions form the basis for the extensive exhibition Virtuoso! Israels to Armando. The focus is on Dutch painters for whom the free, expressive and striking touch was essential in the past hundred years.

Virtuoso! Israels to Armando is accompanied by a beautiful bookazine (Dutch only), full of in-depth, exciting background stories about the artworks in the exhibition. A true feast for the eyes!

The bookazine can be purchased in our museum shop and at Athenaeum Boekhandel in Haarlem for € 7.50.