Portrait of the first Earl of Albemarle

Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle, was a Dutch nobleman who accompanied William III to England in 1688 and became one of the king's closest favorites, accumulating titles, offices, and wealth at a rate that attracted resentment from English noblemen. Kneller's 1697 portrait captures him in the full flower of royal favor. The Dutch connection made Keppel a natural subject for Kneller, himself of German-Dutch formation, to paint.

Albemarle is shown in the full state dress appropriate to his peerage, with a bearing that reflects both his high standing and his relatively young age. Kneller's confident handling of silk and velvet in the costume demonstrates the technical fluency his studio had achieved in rendering aristocratic dress.