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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level H , Case DG, Shelf 30

Drawing

ca. 1650-1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Lely, Peter (Sir) (artist)
Place of origin
England (drawn)

The Dutch painter Peter Lely was the first artist in England to produce drawn (rather than painted) portraits. These were intended to be framed and hung in the same way as oil paintings, and they were highly regarded; an early writer remarked that they were ‘commonly reckon’d the most valuable of his Pieces, which were all done entirely by his own Hand, without any other Assistance’.


Object details

Category
Drawings
Object type
Drawing
Materials and techniques
In crayons
Crayon
Drawing
Brief description
Lely, Peter (Sir); Portrait of an elderly man, wearing a loose robe and a turban-like head dress; the face is in three-quarter view, and turned to the right; In crayons; Signed, "P. L." in a monogram; c.1650-80.
Physical description
Portrait of an elderly man, wearing a loose robe and a turban-like head dress; the face is in three-quarter view, and turned to the right; In crayons; Signed, "P. L." in a monogram.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.2in
  • Width: 8.2in
Original measurements converted from fractional inches into decimal inches (rounded to one decimal place). Dimensions taken from: DYCE COLLECTION. A Catalogue of the Paintings, Miniatures, Drawings, Engravings, Rings and Miscellaneous Objects Bequeathed by The Reverend Alexander Dyce. London : South Kensington Museum, 1874.
Marks and inscriptions
Signed, "P. L." in a monogram.
Credit line
Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce
Object history
Collection - Sir Peter Lely.
Subject depicted
Man
Summary
The Dutch painter Peter Lely was the first artist in England to produce drawn (rather than painted) portraits. These were intended to be framed and hung in the same way as oil paintings, and they were highly regarded; an early writer remarked that they were ‘commonly reckon’d the most valuable of his Pieces, which were all done entirely by his own Hand, without any other Assistance’.
Bibliographic references
  • Owens, Susan, The Art of Drawing British Masters and Methods since 1600, V&A Publishing, London, 2013, p. 44, fig. 25
  • DYCE COLLECTION. A Catalogue of the Paintings, Miniatures, Drawings, Engravings, Rings and Miscellaneous Objects Bequeathed by The Reverend Alexander Dyce. London : South Kensington Museum, 1874.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
DYCE.373

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Record createdSeptember 18, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1137239/drawing-lely-peter-sir/
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