Oil on canvas in a fine 17th century frame.An inscription on the verso of the canvas states “The Lady Lane Carey” although it has not been possible to determine with certainty the original portrait from which this work derives, it bears an undeniable similarity with at least three other three quarter length portraits by Lely. As was typical of Lely, the composition used in this work was replicated in other portrait commissions, and therefore it almost certainly relates to a now-lost original by Lely.It was an established practice in the 17th century to copy in miniature works by Old Masters. According to the detailed accounts kept by Charles Beale (of which there were about 30 of these “pocket books” originally), Mary Beale was coping the portraits of Van Dyke and also her friend Peter Lely, by at least 1676 and some of these have doubtless been assigned to Lely. Some were made on commission – in fact copies after Lely made a significant part of Beale’s income – and others we...