This is one of a series of portraits of famous artists painted by Guiseppe Nogari, probably in the 1730s and 1740s. It is likely that the portraits were painted for the great patron and collector Consul Joseph Smith, and the choice of artists to be represented (which includes Veronese, Bassano, Titian, Cignani, Rubens and Van Dyck) was doubtless governed by Smith's collection of their works, rather than just their fame.

The painter Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641) is shown bust-length from behind. His head is turned to face the viewer over his right shoulder. He has curly hair and a small moustache, and wears a green jacket with a lace collar and gold shoulder buttons. The type and pose go back to a painted self-portrait by Van Dyck. The self-portrait was the basis for a subsequent engraving by Lucas Vorsterman, who added the lace collar. Vorserman's engraving was included in Van Dyck's 'Iconography', which seems to be the source for this work; Joseph Smith was known to have owned a copy of the 'Iconography'.