Talk:Laughing Cavalier
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The Cavalier's enigmatic smile[edit]
I have been looking at a reasonably high resolution reproduction of the painting. I have also seen the original many years ago. The cavalier does not have a smile, enigmatic or otherwise, though it is true that on first glance it does appear so. If you look carefully at the mouth in isolation you will see that there is no hint of a smile. In fact if you take the image and remove the moustache most people would not 'see' any smile.
The fact that on first glance there is an illusion of smile and to some, a persistent sense of one, and that the portrait has become known as The Laughing Cavalier does make the smile a reality.
The bold statement of fact, "the subject does, in fact, sport an enigmatic smile." is an opinion and should not be expressed as a statement of fact. The sentence should therefore be qualified to note that many 'believe' that the subject sports an enigmatic smile. That way both views are accounted for. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.233.172 (talk) 21:20, 12 November 2011 (UTC)
Painting's impact on copyright and legal opinion[edit]
This article should link, and perhaps describe the impact of, the legal case described at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgeman_Art_Library_v._Corel_Corp. "Photographic reproductions of visual works in the public domain were not copyrightable because the reproductions involved no originality." In other words, this means that museums, et al., cannot enforce copyright over artworks by claiming their photos insert a new level of copyright on the orignial, now-public-domain paintings. This painting was essential in the case and final judgment.
Featured picture scheduled for POTD[edit]
Hello! This is to let editors know that File:Cavalier soldier_Hals-1624x.jpg, a featured picture used in this article, has been selected as the English Wikipedia's picture of the day (POTD) for December 22, 2023. A preview of the POTD is displayed below and can be edited at Template:POTD/2023-12-22. For the greater benefit of readers, any potential improvements or maintenance that could benefit the quality of this article should be done before its scheduled appearance on the Main Page. If you have any concerns, please place a message at Wikipedia talk:Picture of the day. Thank you! — Amakuru (talk) 17:55, 16 December 2023 (UTC)
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The Laughing Cavalier is an oil-on-canvas portrait by the Dutch Golden Age painter Frans Hals, completed in 1624. The title is an invention of the Victorian public and press, dating from its exhibition in the opening display at the Bethnal Green Museum from 1872 to 1875, just after its arrival in England. The Laughing Cavalier was described by art historian Seymour Slive as "one of the most brilliant of all Baroque portraits" and has been used in several derivative works, such as the logo of McEwan's beer, which depicts a modified version of the cavalier enjoying a glass of the drink. The painting is now housed in the Wallace Collection in London. Painting credit: Frans Hals
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