Rijksmuseum Launches Major Frans Hals Exhibition Amid Plea for Stolen Artwork's Return

The exhibition, showcasing 50 works of the Dutch master, opens without the notable 'Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer,' stolen in 2020.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is set to open a major exhibition of Frans Hals's work, featuring 50 of his paintings, including the famous 'The Laughing Cavalier'.
Director General Taco Dibbits made a public appeal for the return of 'Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer,' a Hals painting stolen in 2020.
The stolen artwork, valued at €15 million, was taken from the Museum Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden and has not been recovered.
The exhibition, which first debuted in London's National Gallery, includes works not previously shown and will later travel to Berlin's Gemäldegalerie.
Frans Hals is celebrated for his unique ability to capture laughter and movement, marking a significant departure from the traditional portraiture of his time.