A Militiaman Holding a Berkemeyer, Known as the ‘Merry Drinker’  1628

This militiaman merrily raises his glass to toast us – who would not wish to join him? The execution is just as free and easy as the sitter himself: the swift, spontaneously applied brushstrokes enhance the portrait’s sense of liveliness and animation. The man actually seems to be moving. This bravura painting style ensured the continued success of Frans Hals.