page_title: The Banquet of the Officers of the St George Militia Company in 1616
section_title: Influenced by Cornelis van Haarlem
hierarchical_section_title: The Banquet of the Officers of the St George Militia Company in 1616 / Influenced by Cornelis van Haarlem
context_page_description: The Banquet of the Officers of the St George Militia Company in 1616 refers to the first of several large schutterstukken painted by Frans Hals for the St. George civic guard of Haarlem, and today is considered one of the main attractions of the Frans Hals Museum there.
context_section_description: Hals was in his thirties when he painted this piece, and was far from established as a portrait painter. To be safe, he based most of his design on the painting of his predecessor, Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem, who painted the same militia company in 1599. 
  Given a nearly impossible task, namely to complete his assignment but to add theatrical elements at the same time, Hals must have spent much time judging the politics of the group. He knew these men well as he served in the St. Joris militia himself from 1612–1615. In his painting, he indicates the political position of each man in the group as well as managing to give each a characteristic portrait. In Cornelis van Haarlem's piece the figures seem crammed into a tight space, and each face seems to have a similar expression. In Hals' group, an illusion of space and relaxed conversation is given.
  Officers were selected by the council of Haarlem to serve for three years, and this group had just finished their tenure and celebrated their end of service with a portrait. The man with the orange sash heads the table and the second in command is on his right. The three ensigns stand and the servant is carrying a plate.
caption: The same militia company in 1599, by Cornelis van Haarlem
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