Anne Hyde, Duchess of York; King James II

This work, executed at the time of Sir Peter Lely shows the resounding influence he had on portraiture. His distinctive style and techniques continued to shape the work of his contemporaries. Lely’s portraits were characterised by their elegance, rich colour palette, as well as the way they captured the grandeur and status of his subjects. His approach set a high standard for court portraiture, inspiring subsequent artists to adopt and adapt his methods. The emphasis on capturing both the likeness and the personality of the sitter, combined with a sense of opulence and grace, became a hallmark of portraiture in the years following Lely’s career. As artists strived to achieve the same level of refinement and sophistication, Lely’s legacy continued to influence the development of portrait painting well into the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sir Peter Lely

Sir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin who spent nearly all of his career in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court. Born in Soest in 1618, Lely trained in Haarlem before travelling to London in 1634. He had painted the children of Charles I in 1647, whilst the king was in custody during the Civil War.

After the return of Charles II and the restoration of the monarchy, Lely was appointed Principal Painter to the king and enjoyed a highly successful career at court, producing portraits of the leading figures of the day.