His real name was van der Faes, but Peter Lely took his nickname after a family home with a lily on its gable. Born in Germany to Dutch parents, by 1637 he was Pieter Lely at the Guild of Saint Luke in Haarlem, where he trained. Ten years later he was in London, where he painted landscapes, religious scenes, and history pictures but quickly recognized the strength of the market in portraiture.

Working for many of the late Anthony van Dyck's patrons, Lely took the opportunity to study his predecessor's paintings carefully. He incorporated van Dyck's sense of scale, shimmering handling of paint, and repertoire of design and accessories with his own impeccable drawing and Dutch qualities of rich color, dramatic lighti...