p. 41-45 Van der Helst, Govert Flinck
41 VAN DER HELST.
... of the prizes of the guild, consisting of a beautiful necklace, a scepter of ebony, inlaid with silver, and a gold cup. Beside them stood a maid holding the drinking horn of the St. Sebastian Guild. This drinking horn, chain and scepter are still kept in the cabinet of curiosities at the Amsterdam Town Hall.1
The painting also shows some silver cups and other objects from the guild. In the background are two young men holding bows.2 In the foreground, leaning against the table, is a slate on which are chalked the names of three of the directors depicted by the painter: Albert Pater, Jan van de Poll and Johan Blauw (1). The name of the fourth person is not on the slate, leading Van Dijk (Description des peintures de l'hôtel de ville, etc.) to assume that this fourth person was Van der Helst himself. But he is wrong: this shooting director is not Bartholomew. In my opinion, the fourth person is Frans Banning Kock, lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam, the same man who appears as captain in the foreground of Rembrandt's Night Watch, etc."
This painting is signed: Bartholomeūs van der Helst, and dated, according to Scheltema, 1653. As for me, ...
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(1) The new cat. shows this inscription in facsimile: "DPater, HVPoll (the V attached to the P) and PBlaaū." These initials of the first names do not match with those of Mr. Scheltema.3
42 MUSEUM OF AMSTERDAM.
... I have always read 1657 there (1). This date has some importance because of the date of the small painting in the Louvre no. 197 [34]. So, if the painting in the Louvre is dated 1653, as Villot's catalog indicates,4 it would predate the large painting in Amsterdam, and instead of a repetition with variants, it would be a first composition, a first thought. But isn't the year in the painting in the Louvre also 1657?
In the xviith century, 3s and 7s were very similar in form. For example, Reynolds made a mistake in giving the date of the Anatomical Lesson: because the 3 of 1632 has a long tail ending well below the level of the other numbers, he read 1672 and noted this date in his Tour in Holland, ignoring the fact that the creator of the Anatomical Lesson was no longer alive in 1672.5
From the explanation of this Amsterdam painting, we can see that the small, almost identical painting in the Louvre has the wrong title and is misinterpreted in the Paris catalog. It is not about "awarding the prize in archery," and the names on the slate are not "the names of the winners of the shooting contest," but those of the directors of the guild.6
The differences between the Amsterdam painting and ...
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(1) This date 1657, which, despite Scheltema's authority, we have already given in l'Artiste and in the Revue universelle des Arts, is confirmed by the new cat.7
34
Gerrit Lundens
Group portrait of four "overlieden" of the Handboog- or Saint Sebastiaandoelen, Amsterdam, dated 1653
Paris, Musée du Louvre, inv./cat.nr. 1332
43 VAN DER HELST.
... the Paris paintings are as follows: on the right in the background of the Amsterdam painting there are only two young crossbowmen instead of three; through the open door on this side trees and a patch of greenery can be seen. On the left in the background is a purplish-red curtain, and in the center, on a sideboard, are vases and drinking cups for the use of the guild. The dog, seated on its hindquarters, is looking across (1).
In addition to these two large compositions, the Amsterdam museum has eight portraits by Van der Helst.
Portrait of Vice Admiral Egbert M. Kortenaar, chestpiece, life-size, holding his command staff in his left hand. A red cloak is thrown over his shoulder. Gold sash. Very beautiful painting [35].8
Portrait of Mary Henrietta Stuart, douairière of William II. She is life-size, full-length, seated, all in white, on an armchair with silver carving, crowned with a purple silk canopy. In her right hand she holds an orange. Very beautiful and very important [36].9
Portrait of the mayor of Amsterdam, Andries Bicker, half length, with his right hand on his hip and a book in his left hand. He has a large collar and black clothing. Neutral background [37].10 This mayor, A. Bicker undoubtedly comes from the same family as ...
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(1) The new cat. assumes that the small Paris painting comes from the collection of Count van Polsbroek.11
35
Bartholomeus van der Helst
Portrait of Egbert Meeuwsz. Cortenaer (1605-1665), Vice Admiral, Admiralty of the Maas, Rotterdam, 1655-1665
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-145
36
Bartholomeus van der Helst and attributed to Johannes Lingelbach
Portrait of Mary I Stuart (1631-1661), 1652 (dated)
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-142
37
Bartholomeus van der Helst
Portrait of Andries Bicker (1586-1652), 1642 (dated)
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-146
44 MUSEUM OF AMSTERDAM.
... Captain Roelof Bicker, who appears in the large and beautiful painting of arquebusiers from 1643, which now adorns the Mayor's Hall in the City Hall [38].12
Portrait of Mayor Bicker's son [39]. This set boy, very young and still without a beard, has a triple chin on his finely embroidered collar.13 He is wearing a red velvet drapery.14 His right hand holds his gloves to his chest. His left hand is on his hip. An excellent and curious portrait, a counterpart to that of the father.15 This son Bicker was drost of Muiden (1).
Nos. 109 and 110 are a portrait of a man and a portrait of a woman, both unknown. The portrait of the woman is signed with the initials B v H.16
Portrait of Lieutenant Admiral Aart van Nes, and portrait of said admiral's wife [40][41].17 These two pendants, placed next to the Syndics, do credit to this dangerous setting rather well. They are life-size knee pieces. Beautiful hands, beautiful fabrics. The man's head is a little heavy, but the woman's is stunning. Both, with a seascape as background, signed by Backhuizen, are fully signed by Van der Helst, and dated I668, two years before his death.
In general, these portraits by Van der Helst were sold for ...
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(1) The portraits of the father and son were bought for 100 guilders each at a public auction in Amsterdam (new cat.).
38
Bartholomeus van der Helst
Vendel van kapitein Roelof Bicker and luitenant Jan Michelsz. Blaeuw bij de brouwerij 'De Haan' op de hoek van de Lastage (hoek Geldersekade en Boomsloot) te Amsterdam, c. 1640-1643
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-C-375
39
Bartholomeus van der Helst
Portrait of Gerard Bicker (1622-1666), c. 1642
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-147
40
Bartholomeus van der Helst and Ludolf Bakhuizen
Portrait of Aert van Nes (1626-1693), 1668 (dated)
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-140
41
Bartholomeus van der Helst and Ludolf Bakhuizen
Portrait of Geertruida den Dubbelde (1647-1684), wife of Aert van Nes, 1668 (dated)
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-41
45 GOVERT FLINCK.
... 100 ducats, a very high price for the time. Portraits by Rembrandt himself were not so expensive.18
Next in the Amsterdam catalogue is a portrait of Admiral Auke Stellingwerf by L. van der Helst [42].19 We can assume with the authors of the Geschiedenis der Nederlandse Schilderkunst (History of Dutch Painting; Amsterdam 1814), Messrs. Van Eynden and Van der Willigen, and with Mr. Scheltema, that this L. van der Helst is the son of Bartholomeus. His given name is undoubtedly Lodewijk (1). Houbraken named a son of Bartholomeus van der Helst as a painter.20
GOVERT FLINCK.21 – From the same series as the Banquet at the Crossbowmen's Guild and the Night Watch comes another large Militia piece or Doelenstuk, as the Dutch say, by Govert Flinck: "Meeting of the civic guard, under the command of Jan Huidecoper, Lord of Maarsseveen, after the conclusion of the Munster Peace, in 1648" [43].22
This masterpiece by Flinck, after the masterpieces of Rembrandt and Van der Helst, is comparable to the great compositions of the Dutch school, – of Frans Hals, Jacob Backer and ...
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(1) The new cat. indeed lists this portrait in the name of Lodewijk van der Helst, but without any biographical information behind the name.
42
Lodewijk van der Helst
Portrait of Aucke Stellingwerf (1635-1665), 1670 (dated)
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv./cat.nr. SK-A-148
43
Govert Flinck
Civic Guardsmen of the Company of District 1 under the Command of Captain Joan Huydecoper and Lieutenant Frans van Waveren, dated 1648
Amsterdam, Amsterdam Museum, inv./cat.nr. SA 7318
Notes
1 Amsterdam 1841, p. 20; Amsterdam 1843, p. 23; here, only the 'Drinking Horn of the Sebastiaans or Handbowmen' is mentioned, not the chain and scepter. They are all listed in Vreeken et al. 2003, p. 84-85, no. 1, p. 86-87, no. 3, p. 92-94, no. 8.
2 Originally, there were three young men: the sons of Jan van de Poll (1597-1678), Harmen (1641-1673); of Albert Dircksz. Pater (1602-1659), Dirck (1643-1691); and of Joan Willemsz. Blaeu (1596-1673), Pieter (1637-1706), one of whom has disappeared due to overpainting (Van Gent 2011, p. 234; Middelkoop 2019, p. 822).
3 According to recent publications, pictured here are: Frans Banninck Cocq (1605-1655), Jan van de Poll (1597-1678), Albert Dircksz. Pater (1602-1659) and Joan Willemsz. Blaeu (1596-1673) (Van Gent 2011, p. 232-233, no. 67; Middelkoop 2019, p. 821-822, S. 91).
4 Villot 1852, p. 103, no. 197. According to Van Gent 2011, p. 234, copy 1, the painting in the Louvre is a copy, possibly made by Gerrit Lundens, to whom the copy of the Night Watch is also attributed.
5 Reynolds/Mount 1781, p. 94.
6 In Villot 1852, p. 103, no. 97, the title is: Le jugement du prix de l'arc and on the slate are 'le nom des trois vainqeurs'.
7 See the notes Thoré-Bürger made to Scheltema 1857a, p. 200 (note 1), where he corrected Scheltema's date of 1653 to 1657. In Van Gent 2011, p. 232-235, no. 67, the painting is dated as '1653' (because of the date on the Paris copy), but the dating now to be read would be '1657'. Thoré-Bürger added ‘and indisputable’ to the last phrase of the note.
8 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Egbert Meeuwsz Cortenaer, Vice Admiral, Admiralty of the Maas, Rotterdam, c. 1660, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-145; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 105, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Portret van den Vice-Admiraal (Portrait of the Vice-Admiral) Egbert Meeuwsz. Kortenaar (tax.: fl. 200); Amsterdam 1858, p. 54, no. 111.
9 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Mary Stuart, Princess of Orange, as Widow of William II, 1652, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-142; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 106, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Idem [Portret], van Maria Henriëtte Stuart, Weduwe van Prins Willem den Tweeden (Portrait of Mary Henriette Stuart, Widow of Prince William the Second) (tax.: fl. 3,000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 55, no. 116.
10 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Portrait of Andries Bicker, 1642, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-146; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 107, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Portret van den Amsterdamschen Burgemeester Andries Bicker (Portrait of the Amsterdam mayor Andries Bicker) (tax.: fl. 800; it is not clear whether the fl. 800 is for the two Bicker portraits together or just for Andries; there is no valuation amount listed for the son's portrait); Amsterdam 1858, p. 54, no. 112, as ‘Bought in public sale at Amsterdam fl. 100’ yet is was fl. 150.
11 Amsterdam 1858, p. 59. According to Van Gent 2011, p. 234, copy 1: Vrijheer van Zuid Polsbroek, Pieter de Graeff.
12 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Militia Company of District VIII in Amsterdam under the Command of Captain Roelof Bicker, c. 1640-1643, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-C-375.
13 Comment Bianca du Mortier: the collar is not embroidered but trimmed with bobbin lace.
14 Comment Bianca du Mortier: this drapery is his shoulder coat of a gray fabric - possibly woolen cloth - lined with a red pile fabric.
15 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Portrait of Gerard Andriesz Bicker, c. 1642, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-147; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 108, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Idem [Portret] van deszelfs zoon (Portrait of his son (there is no appraisal amount listed for the son's portrait; the father's is listed at fl. 800; it is not clear whether this amount is for the two Bicker portraits together or only for the portrait of the father)); Amsterdam 1858, p. 54, no. 113, as ‘Bought in public sale at Amsterdam fl. 100', yet it was fl. 92; the sale also included a portrait of a Mrs. Bicker, wife of Andries (Bartholomeus van der Helst, Portrait of Trijn Jansdr. Tengnagel, 1642, Dresden, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Gemäldegalerie alte Meister, inv. no. 595).
16 Bartholomeus van der Helst, Samuel van Lansbergen, Remonstrant Minister in Rotterdam, 1646, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-143; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 109, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Een onbekend Mans-Portret (Portrait of an unknown Man) (tax.: fl. 1.000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 54, no. 114. Bartholomeus van der Helst, Maria Pietersdr de Leest, Wife of Samuel van Lansbergen, 1646, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-144; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 110, Helst (Bartholomeus van der; 1613-1670), Idem [Portret] van een onbekende Vrouw (Portrait of an unknown Woman) (tax.: fl. 1.000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 54-55, no. 115, as Portait of a Woman.
17 Bartholomeus van der Helst and Ludolf Bakhuizen, Aert van Nes, Vice Admiral, 1668, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-140; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 111, Helst (Bartholomeus van der) and Ludolf Bakhuizen, Portret van den Luitenant-Admiraal Aart van Nes, in het verschiet een zeegevecht (Portrait of the Luitenant-Admiral Aart van Nes, in the distance a sea battle) (tax.: fl. 5,000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 59-60, no. 119. Bartholomeus van der Helst and Ludolf Bakhuizen, Geertruida den Dubbelde, Wife of Aert van Nes, 1668, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-141; Aanwijzing 1853, 13, no. 112, Helst (Bartholomeus van der) and Ludolf Bakhuizen, Idem [Portret] van deszelfs Echtgenoot, in de verte een havenhoofd (Portrait of his Spouse, in the distance a harbor head (tax.: fl. 5,000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 60, no. 120.
18 On the little that is known about the prices of Van der Helst's portraits, see Van Gent 2011, p. 32-33: 'all in all, on the basis of documents, we may nevertheless assume that the painter was not impecunious'.
19 Lodewijk van der Helst, Posthumous Portrait of Aucke Stellingwerff, Admiral of Friesland, 1670, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. SK-A-148; Aanwijzing 1853, p. 13, no. 113, Helst (Lodewyk van der), Portret van den (Portrait of the) Admiraal Augustus Stellingwerf (tax.: fl. 1,000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 60, no. 121. Lodewijk van der Helst was indeed a son of Bartholomeus. In the annotations opp. p. 48 Thoré-Bürger writes: Le portrait de Stellingwerf, signé 'L van der Helst f 1670'. In the French edition of Amsterdam 1858, indeed a facsimile of the signature and date 1670 is printed (p. 64, no. 125).
20 Van Eynden/Van der Willigen 1816-1840, vol. 1 (1816), p. 398, mentions a son, but without first name. Scheltema 1857a, p. 197 refers to Houbraken 1718-1721, vol. 2, p. 10.
21 An earlier version of this section on Govert Flinck has been commented on by Tom van der Molen on 20 June 2024, who additionally sent me in advance the entry of this painting from his dissertation, which he defended in 2025, for which many thanks. Additional information about Flinck can be found in Thoré-Bürger's notes opp. p. 48.
22 Govert Flinck, Civic guardsmen of the company of captain Joan Huydecoper and lieutenant Frans van Waveren, 1648-1650, Amsterdam, Amsterdam Museum, inv. no. SA 7318 (on loan to the Rijksmuseum 1856-1975, inv. no. SK-C-1); Aanwijzing 1853, p. 10, no. 83, Flink (Govert; 1615-1667), Bijeenkomst van Schutters, onder het bevel van Jan Huidecoper, Heer van Maarseveen, na het sluiten van den Munsterschen vrede, in 1648 (Meeting of civic guardsmen, under the command of Jan Huidecoper, Lord of Maarsseveen, after the conclusion of the Peace of Münster, in 1648 (tax.: fl. 10,000); Amsterdam 1858, p. 40-42, no. 86.