The Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyck settled in England in 1633 as Principal Painter in Ordinary to Charles I and was honored quickly with a knighthood. He ran a busy studio in order to produce the vast quantity of portraits demanded by English patrons, who were eager to see themselves represented with a new elegance and refinement. In this double portrait of Lady Chesterfield (standing) and Lady Huntington (seated), the handling of the paint and the sumptuous coloring evoke the manner of Titian (ca. 1488–1576), the great Venetian painter whose work was highly prized by English connoisseurs. Although the lute symbolizes harmony between the two sitters, circumstances soon conspired to produce discord. The sitters’ husbands backed opposing sides in the English Civil War (1642–51): Philip, first Earl of Chesterfield (1583/84–1656), supporting the king; Ferdinando, sixth Earl of Huntington (1608–1655), siding with Parliament.
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