Portrait of a gentleman, possibly Philip Herbert, 1st Earl of Montgomery and 4th Earl of Pembroke (1584-1650), bust-length, with a white lace collar and wearing the badge and star of the Order of the Garter, in a feigned oval

Despite his reputation for violent outbursts and gambling, Philip Herbert maintained a prominent position in the courts of both King James I and King Charles I, earning a number of official appointments. He took interest in English colonial ventures by way of several joint stock companies including the Virginia Company, the Northwest Passage Company, the East India Company, and later the Guiana Company. He was a great patron and lover of the arts, supporting the artistic career of his own page and miniaturist, Robert Gibson among others.

Cornelius Johnson van Ceulen established himself as a portrait painter in London around 1618. He produced portraits for the emerging English gentry, professionals, courtiers, and even completed a number of royal commissions. By 1643 he moved to the Netherlands, fleeing the English Civil War, eventually settling in Utrecht where he remained until his death in 1661.

Another version of this portrait, signed with the artist's initials and dated 1635, appeared at auction at Christie's London, 15 April 2015, lot 556.