Peter Lely

Sir Peter Lely (September 14th, 1618 - November 30th, 1680) is a painter of origin Dutchwoman. He knew an immense popularity as portraitist in England where he is established in the years 1640. It was also a large art lover, which had a beautiful collection of drawings of artists.

Life and work

Born Pieter van der Faes, from an established Dutch family with Soest, in Westphalia, where his/her father was officer in the armed forces of the voter of Brandebourg, Lely learns painting with Harlem, under the aegis believes one of Pieter de Grebber. It is named Master of the guild of saint Luc in 1635. It is told that it chooses the nickname of Lely (spelled Lilly sometimes) in remembering the lily Héraldique which decorated the pinion of the native house of his/her father with $the Hague.

Lely arrives at London about 1641. Its first English tables, mythological or religious scenes, portraits in a pastoral decoration, betray the influence of Van Dyck and the Baroque Dutch. Its portraits are accommodated favorably and it takes the succession of van Dyck while becoming the portraitist with the mode in England. He becomes member of the company of the painters and teinturers in 1647, official portraitist of Charles I whose execution does not throw any shade on its career since he paints the portrait of Olivier Cromwell ( with the warts and the remainder ) and of its son Richard. About 1650, the poet Richard Lovelace writes two poems with Lely: Painting and See which ombrageuse majesty…

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