Frans Hals, "The Laughing Cavalier". Good or bad investment??

Discussion in 'Art' started by Armando0831, Nov 22, 2014.

  1. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    I found this today at the flea market. The seller had a lot of antiques and this print stood out very quickly. I had no idea who the artist was and title of the painting. When I got home, I searched "Spanish clothing in 1624" and to my surprise, this painting popped up in the images. After looking at different images of the painting, I noticed that my print has the cavalier wearing red clothing, not black. To me this looks very very old. The frame is held at the corners with nails. I'm not even attempting to take this print out. I did take the back off and noticed some very small spots, foxing, but nothing to cause alarm. Sorry about the the title, dang auto correct!! image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
     
  2. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    You can use the Edit to correct that title.

    Looks like a routine 19th C print of a very popular subject.
     
  3. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    It almost looks like somebody didn't like the original color and painted over it. Or perhaps it was printed that way originally?

    It appears that the original does have colors in it, but one part that is supposed to be black is now red in yours.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughing_Cavalier
     
  4. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    If I'm correct, I believe I've seen images of cavalries wearing red like this.
     
  5. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    I took a closer look at this with my loupe and I noticed the eyes are colored blue. There are some very small specs of blue on the print. Even though the original painting has his sash etc. red, I believe that the red coloring was original and not later applied. I'm saying this because I'm finding very small red specs, just like the blue. I think whoever did this, wanted it to have a colorful feeling.
     
  6. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

    I suspect its value is, and will remain, negligible. If it was a 19th C mezzoprint reproduction (or even an etching or engraving), it would have decorative value. But mass market reproductions of old master paintings don't improve with age.
     
  7. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
    Decorative or not, the rarity to come across a print like this from the 19 C, is a nice find, to me it is. I agree with you on the mass production statement but only so much on the newer productions, some older ones too. I know this isn't going to bring thousands, at least not for me. Anyways, I got this and an original piece of art for only $80. The original piece is from a noted Vermont artist. I spoke with her on the phone today and said the piece I have can get about $200 right now. I know that's not jaw dropping but it's more than I originally paid. Here's the piece I got along with this print. She does 3D work. The art itself is from artist that she knows.
     
  8. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

  9. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    Just curious, if you notice on mine, the cuff on his lower arm is not completed like the mezzotint on eBay. Every image that I've looked at, the cuff was fully shown. Upon looking through a loupe, I don't see any small dots that form the image. I guess what I'm saying, if it isn't a litho and with only part of the cuff, what form would it be?
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2014
  10. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

    Your print is just a little bit shorter. It might have been cropped for printing or trimmed for framing. It's some mass market lithographic process, some derivative of chromolithography.
     
  11. Bev aka thelmasstuff

    Bev aka thelmasstuff Colored pencil artist extraordinaire ;)

    I think the value of anything is whether someone is willing to buy it. How many people today want a print of a classic painting in their home? That's how you track value.
     
    Armando0831 and Messilane like this.
  12. Bev aka thelmasstuff

    Bev aka thelmasstuff Colored pencil artist extraordinaire ;)

    There is more interest in nautical artwork, so the ship should go.
     
  13. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    I like the ship a lot -- generally maritime art appeals to me.
     
    Armando0831 likes this.
  14. silverthwait

    silverthwait Well-Known Member

    The original of The Laughing Cavalier lives in London's Wallace Collection, a museum second in my heart only to the Frick in Manhattan. Have a look at the photo in Wikipedia.
     
  15. kentworld

    kentworld Well-Known Member

    The Wallace Collection is on my list next time I'm in London (er, if I ever get back to London).
     
  16. silverthwait

    silverthwait Well-Known Member

    Wendy, you will love it! It is nowhere near as lovely as the Frick, but it is imposing. There are several of those, "Ohmygod, there it is!!" occurrences. And, as someone besides me on eBay noticed, there's a doorway which, when one walks through it, has a pair of Canalettos on the left. I'd have missed them had I not been so determined to look at every single thing. :)
     
    kentworld likes this.
  17. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    I've never been to any art museums or gallery. Just once, I would love to stand in front of a real Picasso, Van Gogh, etc.
     
  18. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Armando, you should! I don't know where you live, but even smaller cities have some good collections.
     
  19. Armando0831

    Armando0831 Well-Known Member

    There's an art museum nearby that actually has a piece from an artist that I have two pieces from. The piece they have is in the file room due to damage it has. I like more of the abstract pieces. I like to write and I see abstracts as a poem, a story.
     
    Figtree3 likes this.
  20. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    Has anyone noticed that the Laughing Cavalier is not remotely laughing. To me he looks more like someone figuring out a way to cheat the artist out of his fee.

    He probably sleeps with his moustache in curlers, and lives with his mother.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted
Similar Threads: Frans Hals
Forum Title Date
Art Small South American Painting Fransisco Toaquiza Ecudor Oct 25, 2023
Art Signed and sketched comic by Francois Craenhals Aug 24, 2017

Share This Page