Lord John Stuart and his Brother, Lord Bernard Stuart, Anthony van Dyck from the old master collection

Lord John Stewart and his Brother, Lord Bernard Stewart, Anthony van Dyck

The two brothers are fashionably dressed in rich silk and satin clothing, with lace collars. John is wearing warm shades of gold and brown; Bernard contrastingly in cooler silver and blue. The drape and hue of the luxurious fabrics is accentuated by the muted brown background. They are both dressed for a journey: the painting was commissioned shortly before they departed in 1639 for a three-year Grand Tour of Europe.

John is standing on a step, leaning on a stone plinth, looking into the distance past the viewer. Bernard has stepped up onto the step with his left leg, with his left hand resting on his hip so his left elbow juts out at an unnaturally awkward angle; he is gazing directly at the viewer, and lifting the edge of his cape with his right hand to reveal its silk linking, and his embroidered jacket and breeches; he also has leather boots with spurs, and a sword. Theyare standing close together, alluding to their close relationship, but their opposed postures and divergent eyelines suggest some unresolved tension between them.

Both brothers were killed while fighting for King Charles I in the English Civil War: John at the Battle of Cheriton in 1644, and Bernard the following year commanding the Life Guards at the Battle of Rowton Heath.