In this Arcadian portrait, Anthony van Dyck pictures Philip, 4th Baron Wharton, standing before a shimmering green drapery against a rocky backdrop, while holding a shepherd's _houlette_ in the crook of his arm. His regal pose and his sumptuous attire with its rich golden-yellow, purple, and emerald tones convey both grace and elegance, while his gaze exudes self-confidence.
Eldest son of a staunch Puritan, Wharton succeeded his grandfather, also named Philip, to become the fourth Baron Wharton. After attending Oxford University and traveling abroad with his siblings, Lord Wharton spent part of the summer of 1631 in The Hague at the court of the Prince of Orange, Frederik Hendrik, presumably becoming involved with the Dutch cause, due to his strong Protestant background. In The Hague, Lord Wharton would have met the exiled King and Queen of Bohemia, Frederick V of the Palatinate and Elizabeth Stuart, sister of King Charles I, thereby fostering his relationship with the English king. Thanks to this relationship, Wharton became the first Englishman other than the king to commission a portrait from Anthony van Dyck after the Flemish master moved to London in 1632.