Sir John Cotton and His Family

Sir Peter Lely 1618 - 1680

Summary

After one of the most bloody periods in English history, the restoration of Charles II brought new hope and prosperity. Dutchman Peter Lely emerged as the portrait painter to reflect this new age. Here, the staunch Royalist Sir John Cotton, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, poses confidently with his family. They are shown at ease with their life, against the aspirational backdrop of a grand country park. The column, urn and fountain suggest the family's land, status and cultured taste. It is exceedingly unlikely that Sir John ever possessed such a park or property, but their luxuriant clothing and self-confident expressions reinforce the impression of wealth and success. The painting divides into male and female sides. As convention dictates, women are to the left of men. Sir John's expansive gesture suggests his authority and the ownership of the estate surrounding him. Young John emerges from behind his father, heir to his wealth and reputation. On the right, Lady Jane is slightly turned away from us in a more private, defensive pose. Her daughter offers her a basket of flowers, reflecting her subservient position in the family, floating into the picture like a breath of spring to complete the pastoral idyll. This work is one of Lely's finest portrait groups in the international portrait style of the later 17th century. It derived from Van Dyck, whose work of the 1630s included three-quarter length family groups set against sculpture and Arcadian landscape. Lely's picture predates the widespread popularity of the style that resulted from its adoption by the French and English courts in early 1660s.

Display Label

Sir John Cotton and his Family 1660 Sir Peter Lely 1618-1680 Oil on canvas After one of the most bloody periods in English history the restoration of Charles II brought new hope and prosperity. Dutchman Peter Lely emerged as the portrait painter to reflect this new age. Here the staunch Royalist Sir John Cotton, the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, poses confidently. He and his family are shown at ease with their life, their faces well-fed and untroubled, and their gowns loose and informal. The womens' bright silks are beautifully painted. They are seen against the backdrop of a grand country park, way beyond their station in life, if not their aspirations. As convention dictates women are to the left of men. Young John emerges from behind his father, heir to his wealth and reputation. His sister Jane brings flowers for her mother to bind. She floats into the picture like a breath of Spring to complete the pastoral idyll. Purchased with the aid of the National Art Collections Fund 1966.344