_Sir Peter Lely_ (Dutch: 1617-1680).
Lely, the court painter of the reign of Charles II., by whom
he was knighted, was a native of Holland; his father's name
was Van der Vaes, but the son took the nickname of Le Lys or
Lely (from the lily with which the front of his father's house
was ornamented) as a surname. He was born in Westphalia, but
settled in England in 1641, the year of Van Dyck's death, on
whom he modelled his style. It was Lely who is said to have
painted Cromwell, "warts and all," but he easily accommodated
himself to the softer manners of the Restoration. The rich
curls, the full lips, and the languishing eyes of the frail
beauties of Charles II. may be seen at Hampton Court. Lely
was "a mighty proud man," says Pepys, "and full of state."
The painting of great ladies was a lucrative business, and
his collection of drawings and pictures sold at his death for
£26,000, a sum which bore a greater proportion to the fortunes
of the rich men of that day than £100,000 would bear to the
fortunes of the rich men of our time. He was struck with
apoplexy while painting the Duchess of Somerset, and was buried
at St. Paul's, Covent Garden.
The courtly affectation which distinguishes Lely's portraits is not
absent from this little girl. She is feeding the parrot, but obviously
takes no interest in it--not even troubling indeed to look at it. Her
concern seems to be only to hold up her flowing frock (or "simar")
prettily and to point her fingers gracefully.