_Bartholomeus van der Helst_ (Dutch: 1611-1670).
Of the life of Van der Helst, one of the most distinguished
of the Dutch portrait painters, little is known, except that
he resided constantly at Amsterdam, and was in good practice
there as a portrait painter. He had a part in founding the
Painters' Guild there, whilst his likeness of Paul Potter at
the Hague (1654), and his partnership with Bakhuizen, who
laid in the backgrounds of some of his pictures in 1668,
indicate a constant companionship with the best artists of
the time. His masterpiece is in the Museum at Amsterdam. It
contains thirty-five portraits, whole length, and represents
a banquet given by a company of the civil-guard of Amsterdam,
in commemoration of the Peace of Münster, in 1648. Sir Joshua
Reynolds, in his _Journey to Flanders and Holland_, says of
that work that it "is, perhaps, the first picture of portraits
in the world, comprehending more of those qualities which make
a perfect portrait than any other I have ever seen." Whilst
delighted with Van der Helst, Sir Joshua was disappointed by
Rembrandt; and certainly "Van der Helst attracts by qualities
entirely differing from those of Rembrandt and Frans Hals:
nothing can be more striking than the contrast between the
strong concentrated light and the deep gloom of Rembrandt,
and the contempt of chiaroscuro peculiar to his rival, except
the contrast between the rapid sketchy touch of Hals and the
careful finish of Van der Helst."
This picture is dated 1647.