Van der Helst was born in Haarlem; he may have been taught by Nicolaes Eliasz. in Amsterdam, where he is recorded in 1636 and where he was active for the rest of his career. He was a portrait and figure painter.
Bartholomeus van der Helst
1613 - 1670
Paintings by Bartholomeus van der Helst
![Portrait of a Girl](/media/33265/n-1248-00-000015-hd.jpg?rxy=0.56166666666666665,0.23361823361823361&width=576&height=576&v=1d6543bd4c19b70&bgcolor=fff)
The young girl in this portrait seems a little shy and tentative. Her eyes are wide and enquiring, her eyebrows slightly raised. She holds out the fan a little awkwardly as if uncertain what to do with it. Her hand placed on her stomach almost appears to steady her.The girl’s identity is unknown,...
Not on display
![Portrait of a Lady in Black Satin with a Fan](/media/33487/n-1937-00-000019-hd.jpg?cc=0,0.11096871466264606,0,0.1653222766679231&width=576&height=576&v=1d6543e0de38b50&bgcolor=fff)
The lady in Bartholomeus van der Helst’s portrait may be unknown now, but she appears to have been a woman of some status. Standing out against a severe, plain black background, her clothes announce her wealth and status – and little else. Although she appears modest and unassuming her gaze is di...
Not on display
![Portrait of a Man in Black holding a Glove](/media/34262/n-4691-00-000030-hd.jpg?cc=0,0.10269876002917579,0,0.19708242159008024&width=576&height=576&v=1d65445e040d470&bgcolor=fff)
The young man in this portrait leans on a stone ornament, confident and at his ease. Dressed fashionably in black, with large amounts of expensive lace on show, he has a falling collar – a relatively new trend in Holland – and a multitude of tiny buttons down the front of his coat. The black sati...
Not on display