Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Portrait Drawings by Sir Peter Lely at the British Museum

Peter Lely
Self-portrait
(as engraved by Gerard Valck)
ca. 1680
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of a lady
17th century
chalk drawing
British Museum

Upon Castara's Departure

Vows are vain. No suppliant breath
Stays the speed of swift-heeled death.
Life with her is gone, and I
Learn but a new way to die.
See the flowers condole, and all
Wither in my funeral.
The bright lily, as if day
Parted with her, fades away.
Violets hang their heads, and lose
All their beauty. That the rose
A sad part in sorrow bears,
Witness all those dewy tears,
Which as pearl, or diamond-like,
Swell upon her blushing cheek.
All things mourn, but oh behold
How the withered marigold
Closeth up now she is gone,
Judging her the setting sun.

 William Habington (1634)

Peter Lely
Portrait of a gentleman
17th century
drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of a lady
17th century
chalk drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale
1670s
drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely after Anthony van Dyck
Edward, 1st Lord Littleton of Mounslow
17th century
drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of a lady
17th century
drawing
British Museum


To Castara, Being to Take a Journey

What's death, more than departure? The dead go
Like travelling exiles, compelled to know
Those regions they heard mention of: 'tis the art
Of sorrow says, 'who die do but depart.'
Then weep thy funeral tears, which heaven, to adorn
The beauteous tresses of the weeping morn,
Will rob me of; and thus my tomb shall be
As naked, as it had no obsequy.
Know, in these lines' sad music to thy ear,
My sad Castara, you the sermon hear
Which I preach o'er my hearse. And dead, I tell
My own life's story, ring but my own knell.
   But when I shall return, know 'tis thy breath
   In sighs divided, rescues me from death.

 William Habington (1634)

Peter Lely
Lady with a veil
17th century
chalk drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of Sir Charles Cotterell
(Master of Ceremonies to Charles II)
ca. 1660
chalk drawing
British Museum

attributed to Peter Lely
Studies of a child's head
17th century
drawing
British Museum

attributed to Peter Lely
Studies of men's heads
17th century
drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of John Greenhill (pupil of the artist)
17th century
chalk drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of Anne Lely as a small girl
17th century
drawing
British Museum

Peter Lely
Portrait of a girl
1650s
chalk drawing
British Museum

I am grateful to the British Museum for making these images available.