The model of this portrait is Frances Teresa Stuart (1647–1702), Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, maid of honour at the court of King Charles II, regarded as one of England’s most famous beauties at the time. As the king’s appointed court painter, Sir Peter Lely produced several likenesses of the recognized lady. This painting dates from the artist’s late period, when the golden hues of his earlier works were replaced by darker tones, while the former freshness of his figures gave way to schematic features and a rather languid manner of characterisation.
The elegant figure shows the influence of Anthony van Dyck’s representative portraits.
A copy of the Budapest painting is in the Queen’s apartments at Windsor Castle, and a half-length version is in an English private collection.
Benkő, Éva – Garas, Klára – Urbach, Zsuzsa, Ember, Ildikó – Takács, Imre (eds.), Old Masters’ Gallery Summary Catalogue Vol. 3: German, Austrian, Bohemian and British Paintings 3, Budapest, p. 146-147.
Pigler, Andor, Katalog der Galerie Alter Meister, 1-2. Museum der Bildenden Künste, Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest. 2, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1967, p. 377-378.
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