Larkin's work marks the last stage in a tradition of English portraiture traceable from the later work of Hans Holbein the Younger through Nicholas Hilliard in which the sitter is painted in flat, lightly modelled fashion, surrounded by meticulously rendered wardrobe and props, with each detail of lace, embroidery, and gilding carefully delineated.
Larkin's work represents the concluding period of an English portrait tradition that extends from Hans Holbein the Younger to Nicholas Hilliard. In these portraits, the subject is portrayed in a flat, lightly shaded style, surrounded by meticulously rendered attire and props, with every detail such as lace, embroidery, and gilding being carefully delineated.