What is known about Frans Halsâs early life?
Frans Hals left no written records of his life, so only a brief outline of his early years is known. Born between 1581 and 1585 in Antwerp, he was the son of a clothworker from Malines and a local woman. By 1591, the family had relocated from Flanders to Haarlem, where Hals resided for the remainder of his life.12
Little is known about his activities during his first 25 to 30 years. While tradition suggests he was a pupil of Carel van Mander, no evidence confirms this. His professional career began around 1610 when he joined the Guild of St. Luke in Haarlem.1
Regarding his personal life, he married Annetje Harmensdochter Abeel shortly after joining the guild; she bore two children before her death in 1615. He later married Lysbeth Reyniers in 1617. Despite historical suggestions of a dissolute lifestyle, his membership in the St. George militia and local societies suggests a more respectable standing than often portrayed.1