Bernardus van de Laar, like his brother Jan Hendrik van de Laar, started his career as an assistant in his father's house painting business. Thanks to participation in the weekly drawing evenings of the art society 'Hierdoor tot Hooger' and lessons from Cornelis Bakker, he was eventually able to establish himself as an independent painter. His favourite subjects were church interiors and cityscapes, often upholstered by his brother Jan Hendrik van de Laar.