Portrait of Jan Hendrik Lestevenon, half-length in a black coat; and Portrait of Esther de Bary, half-length, holding a fan

Luttichuys spent his career as a portrait painter in Amsterdam producing elegant works such as these. His sensitivity to the individuality of his sitters and to details such as the subtle cues of movement that enliven an image speak to his immense skill and reflect his considerable success in the mid seventeenth century.

The pendants of Esther de Bary and Jan Hendrik Lestevenon are defined largely by a sense of spontaneity. The expressions of both sitters have a momentary quality thanks in part to Luttichuys' understanding of facial structure and in part to his lively brushwork. Jan Hendrik places one hand on his hip, assuming a jaunty masculine pose that was popular in the period, and holds the other to his chest in a gesture that indicated honesty or genuineness. The white folds of his undershirt that appear through the slashed sleeve of his jacket enhance the effect of the elbow jutting in the viewer's direction and serve to visually link his elegant, elongated hands. The prop of Esther's fan and the raised forefinger of her left hand enliven her pose.

Luttichuys' innovative use of a long established portrait device, the curtain behind the sitter, can also be seen in these pendants. Rather than being pulled to one side to reveal a distant view or draped over a classicising column, Luttichuys' curtains provide a two-dimensional background that is nonetheless uniform and expressive. The sitters stand out against the dark fabric, seeming somehow more accessible due to the shallow space in which they stand, and the movement of the folds and sheen of the fabric serve to further enliven the image. The static verticals of the curtain visually frame Esther de Bary on the right while the movement of the fabric on the left reflects the presence of her husband's pendant.