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ID #SA1024869
FOR SALE
£18,000
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17th Century Portrait Oil Painting of a Lady in a Green Silk Gown by Sir Peter Lely
Isherwood Fine Art
for sale €21,060     $22,860
£18,000
Isherwood Fine Art

Isherwood Fine Art

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2023
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    16th to 19th century old master, british and european paintings and sculpture, specialising in period portraiture. Member BADA, LAPADA.
  • Trade Associations
    Isherwood Fine Art is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA 
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17th Century Portrait Oil Painting of a Lady in a Green Silk Gown by Sir Peter Lely

17th century
Description

A 17th century English portrait of a lady by Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680), half-length in a painted feigned oval, wearing a green silk gown with chestnut coloured cloak over one shoulder, her fair hair curled in the fashionable ringlet style of the period. Oil on canvas in an English giltwood 'Lely' frame.

We are grateful to Diana Dethloff and Catharine MacLeod (who are currently working on a Lely catalogue raisonné) for their confirmation of Lely as the artist from photograph analysis of this previously unidentified early work.

Provenance:

Private collection Nottingham until 2021

Mellors and Kirk sale December 2000, lot 1173

The sitter is likely to have been from an upper class or aristocratic family in court circles, who were the main source of Lely`s patronage. The simple composition serves to highlight the beauty of the sitter through portraying her pale decolletage and complexion, set against the gentle gaze of her blue eyes, the soft blush of her cheeks and her full red lips.

Peter Lely (1618-1680) was originally of dutch origin and became Principle Painter to the King in 1661, following in the footsteps of Van Dyck who had died in 1641. He dominated the portrait painting scene in England for over 20 years, creating a distinctive 'court look' in his work which had a strong influence on many other artists. He had an extremely successful and popular portrait practice which meant that he soon had to develop production methods that could accommodate the high demand for portraits, and also for copies and versions of them which were given as gifts to family and courtiers. The use of studio assistants was a common practice for busy artists and as with Van Dyck, Lely is known to have used specialist assistants to execute particular parts of his paintings. Artists who worked in Lely`s studio included John Baptist Gaspars who specialised in drapery painting, William Wissing, John Greenhill, Thomas Hawker and Joseph Buckshorn.

Literature:

Catharine Macleod 'Peter Lely, portrait practice and the creation of a court look', from 'Painted Ladies, women at the court of Charles II', 2001.

R.B Beckett, 'Lely' , English Master Painters, 1951.

Physical Dimensions
Height
96cm (37.80")
Width
83cm (32.68")
Declaration

Isherwood Fine Art has dated this 17th Century Oil Portrait to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1024869
Dealers Notes

Isherwood fine art

Description
A 17th century English portrait of a lady by Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680), half-length in a painted feigned oval, wearing a green silk gown with chestnut coloured cloak over one shoulder, her fair hair curled in the fashionable ringlet style of the period. Oil on canvas in an English giltwood 'Lely' frame.
fig 1. A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame.
fig 1. 17th Century Portrait Oil Painting of a Lady in a Green Silk Gown by Sir Peter Lely

We are grateful to Diana Dethloff and Catharine MacLeod (who are currently working on a Lely catalogue raisonné) for their confirmation of Lely as the artist from photograph analysis of this previously unidentified early work.

Provenance:

Private collection Nottingham until 2021

Mellors and Kirk sale December 2000, lot 1173

“
The sitter is likely to have been from an upper class or aristocratic family in court circles, who were the main source of Lely`s patronage.
Isherwood Fine Art

The simple composition serves to highlight the beauty of the sitter through portraying her pale decolletage and complexion, set against the gentle gaze of her blue eyes, the soft blush of her cheeks and her full red lips.

Peter Lely (1618-1680) was originally of dutch origin and became Principle Painter to the King in 1661, following in the footsteps of Van Dyck who had died in 1641. He dominated the portrait painting scene in England for over 20 years, creating a distinctive 'court look' in his work which had a strong influence on many other artists. He had an extremely successful and popular portrait practice which meant that he soon had to develop production methods that could accommodate the high demand for portraits, and also for copies and versions of them which were given as gifts to family and courtiers. The use of studio assistants was a common practice for busy artists and as with Van Dyck, Lely is known to have used specialist assistants to execute particular parts of his paintings. Artists who worked in Lely`s studio included John Baptist Gaspars who specialised in drapery painting, William Wissing, John Greenhill, Thomas Hawker and Joseph Buckshorn.

Literature:

Catharine Macleod 'Peter Lely, portrait practice and the creation of a court look', from 'Painted Ladies, women at the court of Charles II', 2001.

R.B Beckett, 'Lely' , English Master Painters, 1951.

Height
96cm (37.80")
Width
83cm (32.68")
Date of Manufacture

Isherwood Fine Art has dated this 17th Century Oil Portrait to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1024869
Isherwood Fine Art
Isherwood Fine Art
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2023

16th to 19th century old master, british and european paintings and sculpture, specialising in period portraiture. Member BADA, LAPADA.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Isherwood Fine Art Profile Page

Trade Associations

Isherwood Fine Art is a registered member of LAPADA  BADA 

Relevant Links
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A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame.
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Archive I A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame.

17th century portrait oil painting of a lady in a green silk gown by Sir Peter Lely

Archive II A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame. View II
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Isherwood Fine Art

Isherwood Fine Art
Telephone 07984 699799
Location
Bath and London
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/isherwoodfineart
Verified Since Oct 2023
Items For Sale 43
Items Sold 32
Isherwood Fine Art
Isherwood Fine Art
Verified Since Oct 2023
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Location: Bath and London, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/isherwoodfineart
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A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame.
17th century portrait oil painting of a lady in a green silk gown by Sir Peter Lely
Ref: SA1024869
A 17th-century oil portrait painting of a woman with curled hair wearing a green silk dress set inside a gold carved frame.
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FAQs

Restoration portraiture, prominently popularised by court artists such as Sir Peter Lely in the late 17th century, features formal bust or half-length compositions. Sitters are depicted with soft ringlets, dynamic silk drapery, and romanticised features against dark or feigned oval backdrops.

Paintings from this period were primarily rendered in oil pigments on hand-stretched linen canvases. Frames were commonly crafted from carved timber overlaid with gesso and gold leaf gilding.

Authentic period works show age-appropriate craquelure across the paint surface, hand-cut stretcher bars, natural canvas discolouration on the reverse, and historical gilding wear on the frame mouldings.

An antique portrait provides a striking focal point above a mantlepiece or sideboard, pairing seamlessly with traditional dark wood interiors or creating dynamic contrast against minimalist modern backdrops.

Keep oil paintings away from direct sunlight, extreme humidity, and direct heat sources. Cleaning should be performed exclusively by professional art conservators using specialised solvents to prevent damage to historic varnish layers.
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