Bartholomeus van der Helst

Key facts

Lived

1613–1670, Dutch

Movement

• Baroque

1. 1643Painted "Militia Company of District VIII under the Command of Captain Roelof Bicker" aged 30.
2. 1648Painted "Banquet at the Crossbowmen’s Guild in Celebration of the Treaty of Münster" aged 35.
3. 1668Painted "Johan de Liefde (ca. 1619-73), Vice-Admiral" aged 55.

• Bartholomeus van der helst?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst was a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraits from 1640 onwards. He was a painter born in 1613 and died in 1670.
• What is Bartholomeus van der Helst's most famous work?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst, active in Amsterdam, gained considerable recognition for his group portraits and individual likenesses. He became a popular choice for Amsterdam's elite, known for capturing the self-assured character of regents and merchants. One of his most well-regarded works is The Governor of the 'Voetboogdoelen' (Civic Guards), signed and dated 1656. This painting is housed in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Van der Helst's success in securing commissions for civic group portraits came, in part, from a perceived failing on Rembrandt's part. Patrons wanted ceremony, posed figures, and dignity; Rembrandt's approach was considered too disorderly. Van der Helst's style, while initially influenced by Pickenoy, evolved to include a colourful ambience and attention to detail in fabrics. His ability to arrange figures with variety has been compared to Frans Hals. He was a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraiture from 1640 onward, alongside artists such as Jacob Backer, Govert Flinck, and Ferdinand Bol.
• What should I know about Bartholomeus van der Helst's prints?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) was a Dutch painter active in Amsterdam. He is best known for his portraits, especially group portraits of civic guards and regents. Van der Helst's style, while initially influenced by Pickenoy, evolved to feature monumental figures that projected the self-assurance of Amsterdam's elite. His skill in arranging figures and creating variety in group portraits has been compared to that of Frans Hals. His work gained popularity as an alternative to Rembrandt's, whose style was considered too disorderly by some patrons. Van der Helst provided a more conventional approach, offering lively arrangements and even lighting that satisfied the demands for ceremony and dignity. By 1639, he had already completed a guild piece that became a model for other artists. After Rembrandt's comparative failure, Van der Helst became the preferred choice for such commissions. One notable work is The Governor of the ‘Voetboogdoelen’ (Civic Guards), signed and dated 1656. Van der Helst remained a sought-after portraitist in Amsterdam for over thirty years, capturing the culture of Holland's regent class during its seventeenth-century high point.
• What style or movement did Bartholomeus van der Helst belong to?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst was a Dutch Baroque painter, active during the Dutch Golden Age. He is best known for his portraits, particularly group portraits, which capture the self-assurance of Amsterdam's elite. Initially, van der Helst's style showed the influence of his probable teacher, Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy. However, he soon developed his own distinctive approach, becoming a popular portraitist in Amsterdam from around 1640. His success led him to rival Rembrandt, becoming a favourite among the public. Van der Helst's portraits are characterised by their monumental quality and careful arrangement of figures. His attention to detail extended to the depiction of fabrics and textures. His group portraits, such as *Company of Captain Roelof Bicker and Lieutenant Jan Michelsz. Blauw*, display a sense of ease and variety reminiscent of Frans Hals. Van der Helst's work provides a picture of Holland's regent culture during its 17th-century heyday.
• What techniques or materials did Bartholomeus van der Helst use?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst's techniques and materials were typical for seventeenth-century Dutch portrait painters. He initially showed the influence of Pickenoy, who was probably his teacher. Like many artists of the period, van der Helst moved from painting on wood panel to canvas. Canvas became the more popular choice in Europe during the 1600s because it was less expensive, easier to transport, and simpler to prepare. Van der Helst developed a style that set him apart. His portraits have a monumental quality, radiating the self-assurance of Amsterdam's elite. In his group portraits, he showed a talent for arranging figures, reminiscent of Frans Hals. His works display an almost spontaneous air. Over time, his paintings became more colourful, with greater attention paid to the depiction of fabrics.
• What was Bartholomeus van der Helst known for?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) was a Dutch painter active in Amsterdam. He became a popular portraitist, particularly among the city's elite, from about 1640 onwards. Initially, his work showed the influence of Pickenoy, who may have been his teacher. However, van der Helst developed his own style, characterised by a monumental quality and an ability to arrange figures with variety. His portraits often conveyed the self-assurance of Amsterdam's regents and merchants. He paid close attention to the depiction of fabrics and developed a colourful style. Van der Helst's success grew, and he became a favoured choice for guild and regent pictures. His work was considered to offer an artistic concept, a lively arrangement, and colour in even light, which appealed to patrons. One of his guild pieces from 1639 became a model for other artists. After Rembrandt's "Night Watch" was poorly received, van der Helst received many commissions for group portraits. Examples of his work include "Company of Captain Roelof Bicker and Lieutenant Jan Michelsz. Blauw", dated 1643, and "The Civic Guard Banquet to Celebrate the Peace of Westphalia".
• When did Bartholomeus van der Helst live and work?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst was a Dutch painter born in or around 1613. He died in 1670. Van der Helst was active as a painter in Amsterdam. He became a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraiture from 1640 onward, along with Jacob Backer, Govert Flinck, and Ferdinand Bol. Van der Helst may have been a student of Pickenoy, whose influence is apparent in his early work. However, he soon developed his own style. His approach to group portraits, with its ease of arranging figures, has been compared to that of Frans Hals. Van der Helst's work from the late 1630s and 1640s has a subdued quality, but he gradually developed a more colourful style. He gained popularity as a portraitist; one of his most well-known paintings is The Governor of the ‘Voetboogdoelen’ (Civic Guards), from 1656. Another is Company of Captain Roelof Bicker and Lieutenant Jan Michelsz. Blauw, dated 1643.
• Where can I see Bartholomeus van der Helst's work?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) was a Dutch painter active in Amsterdam. He is best known for his portraits, especially group portraits of civic guards and other prominent citizens. To view his work, a good starting point is the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The museum holds several paintings by van der Helst, including *The Governor of the ‘Voetboogdoelen’ (Civic Guards)* from 1656 and *Company of Captain Roelof Bicker and Lieutenant Jan Michelsz. Blauw* (1643). Another painting at the Rijksmuseum is *The Civic Guard Banquet to Celebrate the Peace of Westphalia*. Other museums with works by van der Helst include the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the Sinebrychoff Art Museum in Helsinki, and the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Kassel. The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg also holds examples of his paintings.
• Where was Bartholomeus van der Helst from?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst was a Dutch painter who was a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraiture from 1640 onward. Amsterdam became the financial centre of the continent after the founding of its bank in 1609. In the 17th century, the city had the highest per capita income in Europe. Political power passed increasingly to a wealthy class of merchants and manufacturers, especially in cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Delft. These cities were in Holland, the largest of the seven United Provinces. Van der Helst's work initially showed the influence of his probable teacher, Pickenoy. He developed his own style and ousted Rembrandt as the public’s favourite portraitist. He remained one of Amsterdam’s most popular portraitists for over thirty years. His portraits often had a monumental character, radiating the self-assurance of Amsterdam’s regent and merchant elite. He was especially skilled at arranging figures in group portraits, reminiscent of Frans Hals. Over time, his work became more colourful, with greater attention to fabrics.
• Who did Bartholomeus van der Helst influence?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst became a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraiture from 1640 onward. He, along with Jacob Backer, Govert Flinck, and Ferdinand Bol, shaped the style of portraiture during this period. Initially, van der Helst's work showed the influence of his probable teacher, Pickenoy. However, he soon developed his own style and became a favourite portraitist, even surpassing Rembrandt in popularity. Van der Helst remained one of Amsterdam’s most sought-after portrait painters for over thirty years. His portraits often had a monumental quality, reflecting the self-assurance of Amsterdam’s elite. In group portraits, he showed a talent for arranging figures and creating variety, similar to Frans Hals. His work displayed a colourful ambience and careful attention to fabrics. By 1639, van der Helst had painted a guild piece that served as a model for his artist colleagues. After Rembrandt's perceived failure with "The Night Watch", van der Helst received most of the guild and regent picture commissions.
• Who influenced Bartholomeus van der Helst?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) was a Dutch painter whose work initially showed the influence of his probable teacher, Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy. However, van der Helst soon developed his own individual style. His group portraits display an ease in arranging figures and producing variety, which is reminiscent of Frans Hals. Like Hals's works, they have an almost spontaneous air. Over time, van der Helst's work became more colourful, with greater attention paid to the depiction of fabrics. From 1640 onwards, van der Helst, along with Jacob Backer, Govert Flinck, and Ferdinand Bol, became a dominant influence on Amsterdam portraiture. He eventually surpassed Rembrandt as the public's preferred portraitist. For over 30 years, he remained one of Amsterdam’s most popular portrait painters. His paintings offer a picture of Holland’s regent culture during its 17th-century high point.
• Who was Bartholomeus van der Helst?+

  Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, celebrated for his portraits. Born in Haarlem, he moved to Amsterdam, where he established himself as a leading portraitist. Van der Helst's style is characterised by its realism and attention to detail. He captured the likenesses of Amsterdam's elite, including merchants, regents, and military figures. His portraits are admired for their accurate representation of textures, fabrics, and facial features. One of his most famous works is "The Company of Captain Roelof Bicker" (1639-1642), a large group portrait displayed in the Rijksmuseum. Other notable works include portraits of Gerard Andriesz Bicker, and Maria Reyniersdr van der Laen. These paintings demonstrate his skill in capturing individual personalities within a group setting. Although overshadowed to some extent by Rembrandt, van der Helst enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime. He received numerous commissions and maintained a prominent position in the Amsterdam art world. His work offers valuable insights into the appearance and social dynamics of 17th-century Dutch society.