St Mark

This one of few works by Frans Hals with a religious subject. It is part of a series of four portraits of saints. Two are in a museum in Odessa (Ukraine): Matthew and Luke. This canvas was for sale at an auction in London in 1972. It was attributed to the 17th-century Neapolitan artist Luca Giordano. After cleaning, an expert concluded it had to be a genuine work by Hals. The monogram FH in the center right may have been a clue.

In March 2010 it was in the collection of a German art trader.

The lion's head in the background is Mark's attribute. His gospel begins with the story of John the Baptist in the wilderness, where the lion lives.