Annaschnitfink's Fotothing

Holland - Haarlem - Frans Hals Museum
Oil painting by Frans Hals (Antwerpen ca 1582 - Haarlem 1666)

Four lady trustees (regentesses) of the Old Men's House in Haarlem in a meeting. Behind them is the housemother helding a note in her hand. The housemother and the housefather were in charge of the day-to-day management of the Old Men's Home. The Old Men's House was a home where men over the age of sixty could spend their declining years. The home opened its doors to the first residents in 1609. The building, in Groot Heiligland, still exists and is now the Frans Hals Museum.!!! Rumour would have it that Frans Hals himself spent the evening of his life in the Old Men's House and that this is the reason why he painted the Regentesses in a less flattering mannner to say the least... Frans Hals, however, did not spent any time in this Old Men's House as an inhabitant.

On December 31, 2006 my grandson and I went to visit the Haarlem Frans Hals Museum. I have just found a nice link to this museum for you on the internet, which also enables you to make a virtual tour:
http://www.franshalsmuseum.nl/index_en.html

Photo 7