A Lady, after the Portrait of Elizabeth Trentham, Vicountess Cullen (1640-1713)

Sir Peter Lely (attributed to) 1618 - 1680

Summary

This portrait is a studio variant, differing slightly in the costume and adapted to a sitter with much more conventional features, of a portrait of Elizabeth Trentham, Viscountess Cullen (1640-1713), at Kingston Lacy. Manchester Art Gallery acquired it in 1901 with the unlikely identification as Lady Whitmore (wife of Sir George Whitmore, Lord Mayor of London, who died in 1654). The sitter is shown against a dark background in an elegant dark gold dress with white sleeves and pearls sewn into the bodice, and a blue stole. She wears a single row of pearls around her neck and pearl teardrop earrings. She is seated with her right hand touching her bodice and left hand in her lap. The Dutch-born painter Peter Lely was the most important British portraitist from 1650 until his death, and a renowned successor to Van Dyck. In 1660 he was appointed court portrait painter to Charles II. His output was extensive and he employed many studio assistants, only painting the heads from life.