The central figure has been identified as George Gage (about 1582 - 1638) whose family arms (a saltire and sun in splendour) entwined with the family crest (a ram's head) are on the sculpted pedestal (bottom right). Gage was a diplomat and an agent in Italy and the Netherlands for the great English collectors of the early 17th century. He is shown here being offered a piece of sculpture.
The portrait was painted in Italy, probably in the summer of 1622 or 1623, when both the artist and the sitter were in Rome.
