Sir Peter Lely

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Sir Peter Lely
1618-1680
Portrait of a Lady
1658
Black, red, and white chalk, on gray laid paper.
9 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches (241 x 196 mm)
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1909.
III, 201
Notes: 

Lely studied painting in Haarlem and in 1641 moved to London, where he made his reputation as a portrait painter; he was also a great collector of old master drawings. His own drawings are extremely delicate and refined. This portrait of a young woman demonstrates the artist's exquisite technique and shrewd use of color. Probably a finished work in its own right, the drawing is signed and dated P. Lely / 1658. -- Exhibition Label, from "Life Lines: Portrait Drawings from Dürer to Picasso."

Inscription: 

Signed and dated at left in black chalk, "PLely (the initials in monogram) / 1658".

Provenance: 
Charles Fairfax Murray (1849-1919), London and Florence; from whom purchased through Galerie Alexandre Imbert, Rome, in 1909 by Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), New York (no mark; see Lugt 1509); his son, J. P. Morgan, Jr. (1867-1943), New York.
Associated names: 

Murray, Charles Fairfax, 1849-1919, former owner.
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont), 1837-1913, former owner.

Bibliography: 

Collection J. Pierpont Morgan : Drawings by the Old Masters Formed by C. Fairfax Murray. London : Privately printed, 1905-1912, III, 201.

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