Malle Babbe, after Frans Hals

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints collection, where you'll find *Malle Babbe, Frans Hals* (1871), a masterful etching by French artist Jules-Ferdinandemart. This third state of four—published by P. & D. Colnaghi & Co.—reproduces Frans Hals' iconic 17th-century portrait of titular figure, a Haarlem eccentric often depicted as a "madwoman" with an owl perched on her shoulder, symbol folly or witchcraft. Acquired by the Met that same year and later transferred from the Department of Paintings, it exemplifies 19th-century efforts to honor Dutch Golden Age masterpieces through printmaking. Frans Hals, a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age, was renowned for his loose, expressive brushwork that captured personality and movement in portraits like this one, painted around 1633–1635. Jacquemart's etching translates Hals' vitality into intricate lines and tonal depths, using the medium's precision to mimic the original's lively energy on a modest plate (7 7/8 × 5 7/8 in.). Etchings like this allowed wider access to elite artworks, bridging centuries for art lovers. This poignant portrait of a woman challenges stereotypes, blending humor and pathos in Hals' signature style. Gaze closely at the etched details—the owl's feathers, her mischievous grin—and discover why it remains a highlight of portraiture's enduring power.

About the Artist

Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart|P. & D. Colnaghi & Co.|Frans Hals · 1837–1880

**Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart: Master Etcher and Watercolorist** Jules-Ferdinand Jacquemart was born on September 7, 1837, in Paris to Albert Jacquemart, a prominent art collector, ceramics historian, and amateur artist, and Louise Émilie Labbé. The third of four children, he received his initial training in etching from his father, who had no formal master himself and emphasized self-taught preci...