Peter LelyEnglish, 1618–1680The Letter
Can I see it?
Unknown
Where is “The Letter” now? Collection: Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit. Whether it is on view today is unknown.
Detroit, United States
The owner is known; whether it is on view today is not.
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
Details
- Accession number
- 53.80
In the catalog
Sources
- Wikidata
- Image: Detroit Institute of Arts — Peter Lely · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
In the life of Peter Lely
The whole life1640s
Takes Van Dyck’s place at court
Anthony van Dyck, court painter to Charles I, died in 1641, and Lely succeeded him as the most fashionable portrait artist in England. In the service of Lord Northumberland he copied some of Van Dyck’s paintings.
1641–1680 · Workplace
London
1649–1660
Serves the Cromwells after the execution of Charles I
The execution of the king in 1649 did not interrupt his career: Lely served Oliver Cromwell, whom he painted “warts and all”, and Richard Cromwell.
c. 1650
The poet Richard Lovelace writes two poems about Lely
In the years around 1650 the poet Sir Richard Lovelace wrote two poems about Lely, “Peinture” and “See! What a clouded majesty! …”.
c. 1651
Settles on the Great Piazza in Covent Garden
From about 1651 until his death Lely lived at No. 10–11 Great Piazza, Covent Garden.
