Peter Lely was originally born as Pieter van der Faes in the Westphalian town of Soest, which at that time belonged to the Netherlands. He later gave himself the name Lely in reference to the heraldic lily that decorated the gable of his father's house in The Hague. Lely first studied in Haarlem as a student of Pieter de Grebber. With the help of his teacher he was finally accepted into the Luke's Guild in 1637. Lely probably came to London around 1643. There he initially dealt with mythological and religious themes and also made some portraits. His style was strongly influenced by Anthony van Dyck and the Dutch Baroque. This style was very popular in England at that time. As van Dyck had died only a few years earlier, Lely was offered a good opportunity and he was soon able to establish himself as an official portrait painter at court. Even after the execution of Charles I and the establishment of a temporary republic, Lely was able to maintain his status.
With the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Lely was again appointed official court painter. This time he served under Charles II, who offered him a pension of 200 pounds a year, the same amount that van Dyck received in this position at the time. Lely was also granted English citizenship. He had so many commissions as a court portraitist that he only painted the faces of his models himself. He then left the completion of the paintings to his students and assistants. In this way, Lely was able to produce a considerable number of paintings during his career. Among his most important students were Nicolas de Largillière, John Greenhill and William Wessing. Among Lely's most outstanding portraits are the series of 10 portraits of ladies-in-waiting, now known as "Windsor Beauties". Of its mythological motifs, "Nymphs at a fountain" stands out in particular. This is mainly due to the fact that Lely rarely made paintings of this kind. Lely died working on his easel. He was painting a portrait of the Duchess of Somerset. Only a year earlier, King Charles II had knighted him.
Lely was not only a popular and talented artist of his time. He was also a great art connoisseur and collector. He was particularly fond of the old masters such as Veronese, Tizian, Rubens and Claude Lorrain. He had bought many works after the execution of Charles I, when his art collection was dissolved by the Commonwealth. Lely also prepared the mezzotint in England. This is a gravure printing process developed in the Netherlands. He wanted to increase the circulation of his own works with this printing process.
×
Passionate Customer Service
 - (MeisterDrucke-300210).jpg "Portrait of King Charles II by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-300210).jpg)
 in Garter Robes - (MeisterDrucke-160375).jpg "Portrait of James II (1633-1701) in Garter Robes by Peter Lely")
 in Garter Robes - (MeisterDrucke-160375).jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-41862).jpg "Portrait of a Lady, said to be Nell Gwynne by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-41862).jpg)
.jpg "Susanna and the Elders by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_in_the_robes_of_the_Order_-_(MeisterDrucke-941413).jpg "Portrait of Charles II of England in the Robes of the Order of the Garter by Peter Lely")
_in_the_robes_of_the_Order_-_(MeisterDrucke-941413).jpg)
.jpg "A man playing a violin, possibly a portrait of the artist by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Young Woman and Child, as Venus and Cupid by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 Churchill child - (MeisterDrucke-279939).jpg "Portrait of Winston and Arabella Churchill, children of Sir Winston Churchill by Peter Lely")
 Churchill child - (MeisterDrucke-279939).jpg)
.jpg "Diana Kirke, later Countess of Oxford by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Man, Thought to be George Booth, Lord Delamere by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_c1669-80_(oil_on_ca_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376650).jpg "Portrait of Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Earl of Dysart by Peter Lely")
_c1669-80_(oil_on_ca_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376650).jpg)
 Duchess of Cleveland c1680 - (MeisterDrucke-152381).jpg "Portrait of Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland by Peter Lely")
 Duchess of Cleveland c1680 - (MeisterDrucke-152381).jpg)
_(c_1630-1719_-_(MeisterDrucke-1028873).jpg "Portrait of Margaret Hughes by Peter Lely")
_(c_1630-1719_-_(MeisterDrucke-1028873).jpg)
.jpg "John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount of Dundee, from")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376575).jpg "Portrait of a Lady Said to be Lady Williams by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376575).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Charles I in Armour, c.1670 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Sir Peter Lely, Dutch portrait painter born Pieter van der Faes by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_published_in_Amsterdam_-_(MeisterDrucke-103131).jpg "Thomas Sydenham, engraved by Jacobus Houbraken by Peter Lely")
_published_in_Amsterdam_-_(MeisterDrucke-103131).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady, probably Mary Parsons, later Mrs Draper by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376388).jpg "Portrait of the Hon. Andrew Newport by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1376388).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1092474).jpg "William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1092474).jpg)
.jpg "Bust Portrait of a Young Man, so-called Samuel Pepys by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1659327).jpg "Lovers in a Landscape by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1659327).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Elizabeth Lady Monson by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643716).jpg "Portrait of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, the Philosopher by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643716).jpg)
.jpg "Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-268684).jpg "Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705) by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-268684).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Nell Gwynne, c.1680 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Frances, Duchess of Richmond by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Strickland by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1457495).jpg "James II as Duke of York by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1457495).jpg)
.jpg "Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland, c. 1661-1665 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1090256).jpg "The Rape of Europa by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1090256).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-935790).jpg "Portrait of Dr John Fell, c.1665-70 by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-935790).jpg)
.jpg "Warden John Nicholas by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Henriette de Kerouaille, Countess of Pembroke by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-930972).jpg "Portrait of Sir John Lawson, c.1665 by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-930972).jpg)
.jpg "Anna Maria Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-555973).jpg "Catherine, Countess of Rockingham by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-555973).jpg)
.jpg "Anne, Countess of Southesk by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady in Blue Holding a Flower by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_oil_on_canvas_54x635_cm_-_(MeisterDrucke-1110202).jpg "Moses saved from river by Peter Lely")
_oil_on_canvas_54x635_cm_-_(MeisterDrucke-1110202).jpg)
.jpg "Edward Montagu, First Earl of Sandwich, c. 1659-65 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Self Portrait by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Elizabeth, Lady Leicester by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Thomas Flatman by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643862).jpg "Portrait of Elizabeth, Countess of Essex by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643862).jpg)
_and_child_as_Ve_-_(MeisterDrucke-1558436).jpg "Portrait of a Young Woman and Child as Venus and Cupid by Peter Lely")
_and_child_as_Ve_-_(MeisterDrucke-1558436).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Anne Killegrew, English Poet by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1645711).jpg "Portrait of Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1645711).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1133909).jpg "Portrait of a Connoisseur by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1133909).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1089713).jpg "Portrait of a Young Gentleman and His Wife, c.1655-58 by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1089713).jpg)
.jpg "Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1102692).jpg "William, 2nd Earl of Salisbury by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1102692).jpg)
.jpg "Sir Thomas Stanley by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 4th Earl of Southampton (oil) - (MeisterDrucke-296566).jpg "Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton by Peter Lely")
 4th Earl of Southampton (oil) - (MeisterDrucke-296566).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643715).jpg "Portrait of Catherine, Lady Alington by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1643715).jpg)
.jpg "Elizabeth, Countess of Chesterfield by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-376725).jpg "Portrait of P. Lenéve, Alderman of Norwich, 1656-8 by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-376725).jpg)
.jpg "Catherine of Braganza, Queen of Charles II by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Diana Kirke, Later Countess of Oxford (detail) by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1659334).jpg "Moses Saved from the River by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1659334).jpg)
.jpg "Elizabeth, Countess of Kildare by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Gentleman, Half-Length, in Black with a White Collar by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_(oil_on_canvas_-_(MeisterDrucke-1097309).jpg "Portrait of Mary Bagot, Countess of Middlesex and Dorset (1645-79) by Peter Lely")
_(oil_on_canvas_-_(MeisterDrucke-1097309).jpg)
.jpg "Henry Holden by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_(oil_on_canvas)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1098729).jpg "Portrait of a Gentleman, said to be Prince Rupert by Peter Lely")
_(oil_on_canvas)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1098729).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-898991).jpg "Diana Kirke, Later Countess of Oxford by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-898991).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a Lady by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "William Brouncker, Illustration from")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Anne, Countess of Sutherland by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1110856).jpg "John, 5th Earl of Exeter by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1110856).jpg)
.jpg "Sir John Cotton and His Family by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Charles II, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, engraved by George Vertue by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh, Irish peer by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, c.1660-65 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Honourable James Herbert and His Wife Jane by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-579305).jpg "Admiral Sir William Penn by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-579305).jpg)
.jpg "Mary II Stuart by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Letter, 1650-60 by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Susanna and the Elders by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Lionel Tollemache, 2nd Earl of Dysart by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Two Poor Knights of Windsor by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Prince Rupert, Count Palatinate by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1172872).jpg "A Man Playing a Violin by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1172872).jpg)
_and_child_as_Ve_-_(MeisterDrucke-1575360).jpg "Portrait of a Young Woman and Child, as Venus and Cupid by Peter Lely")
_and_child_as_Ve_-_(MeisterDrucke-1575360).jpg)
 2nd Earl of Rochester - (MeisterDrucke-293011).jpg "Portrait of John Wilmot (1647-80) 2nd Earl of Rochester by Peter Lely")
 2nd Earl of Rochester - (MeisterDrucke-293011).jpg)
.jpg "John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Unknown Image by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of Ann Capell by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-158180).jpg "Portrait of Mrs Moll Davies, Mistress of Charles II, Flowers Painted by Jean Baptiste Monnoyer by Peter Lely")
 - (MeisterDrucke-158180).jpg)
.jpg "Judith with the Head of Holofernes by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Mrs Middleton by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Duchess of Portsmouth by Peter Lely")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1554803).jpg "Portrait of Frances Theresa Stuart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox (1648-1702) by Peter Lely")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1554803).jpg)
+43 4257 29415
support@meisterdrucke.com
Mo-Do: 7:00 - 16:00 | Fr: 7:00 - 13:00
