Frans Hals Museum reunites Verspronck's 'Girl in Blue' with presumed parents

At the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, a rare family reunion is taking place: Johannes Verspronck's celebrated 'Portrait of a Girl in Blue' (1641) from the Rijksmuseum is temporarily displayed alongside the pendant portraits of her presumed parents from Rijksmuseum Twenthe. The three paintings have been linked for centuries but the sitters' identities remain unknown. The works share the same date and were together in a German collection until the early 19th century. A fourth Verspronck portrait, possibly another family member, was last seen at auction in 1970. The girl, richly dressed in a blue gown with floral motifs, lace, and pearls, likely came from a wealthy Haarlem family. Art historian Frans Grijzenhout searched Haarlem archives for clues but found no definitive names; the sitters may have been Catholic, complicating research. The museum presents the search in texts on a wall, though the exhibition ironically lacks focus.