Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer by Frans Hals - 1626 - 68 × 56.5 cm private collection Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer by Frans Hals - 1626 - 68 × 56.5 cm private collection

Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer

oil on canvas • 68 × 56.5 cm
  • Frans Hals - c. 1582 - 26 August 1666 Frans Hals 1626

Well, today it's International Beer Day! Did you know that? (I didn't!)

Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer is a painting by Frans Hals showing a Kannekijker (mug-looker). Someone looking into a mug refers to an old Dutch word for a glutton, greedy for more. This visual theme was also used to depict sight as one of the five senses. Perhaps this portrait was meant as one in a series of the five senses along with Two Boys Singing for hearing and a variant version of The Smoker for the smell.

Another interesting thing about this painting: it was stolen on 27 April 2011, but luckily it was recovered on 28 October 2011. Uff! :)

Here's another happy ending story of a lost piece of art - the Cézanne's painting La Montagne Sainte-Victoire went on view for the first time since before the World War 2.