The Three Eldest Children of Charles I

After the painting in the Royal Collection (inv. no. RCIN 404403), presumably painted by van Dyck between the end of November 1635 and 25 March 1636, in accordance with its inscription. Prince Charles (the future King Charles II) is wearing breeches and the children are accompanied by two King Charles spaniels. The backcloth is a richly brocaded Italian cloth of gold woven with an asymmetrical branched pomegranate pattern - it appears regularly in Van Dyck's portraits of around this date, suggesting it may have been a studio prop. The portrait proved to be immensely popular and inspired numerous copies and imitations.