Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1613–December 16, 1670, was a Dutch painter born in Haarlem. He settled in Amsterdam before 1636 and may have trained there with Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy; his first dated painting is from 1637.

Van der Helst specialized in individual, family and civic-guard portraits for Amsterdam’s governing and mercantile families. His patrons also included members of the stadtholder’s circle, and his pupils included his son Lodewijk van der Helst and Marcus Waltes.

Van der Helst was buried in Amsterdam on December 16, 1670. His paintings are held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Museum, Louvre Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Uffizi Galleries and other public collections.

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