On the left is the sixth son of the 3rd Duke of Lennox, Lord John Stewart, and on the right is his seventh son, Lord Bernard Stewart (as is common in modern times, the National Gallery uses the French-influenced spelling "Stuart" for their family's name).

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 is dressed contrastingly in cooler silver and blue.

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.

It was acquired by the banker Sir Ernest Cassel and passed down to his great-granddaughters Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and Lady Pamela Hicks.