 The painting's composition, tightly framing three half-length figures, is clearly influenced by the Caravaggists of Utrecht.Simon de Vos used the light effects typical of the Caravaggists by lighting the artists' faces from the painting's left-hand side, making the faces stand out against the neutral background.The inspiration for the picture may have been the early works of Caravaggio himself, which Simon de Vos may have seen if he visited Rome.