Sir Peter Lely

By descent in the Craven family until sold by the Trustee of the Late Cornelia Countess of Craven, London, Sotheby's, 19th February 1969, lot 63 (bt. for £280 as The Crowning of a Poet, by Sir Oliver Miller;
purchased  from the above by the present owners

'Combe Abbey I, Warwickshire, A seat of the Earl of Craven', Country Life, Vol. XXVI, December 1909, p. 803, refered to as representations of the 1st Earl Craven and Elizabeth of Bohemia;
'Hamstead Marshall and Ashdown House, Berkshire, A seat of the Earl of Craven', Country Life, Vol. XXXIII, March 1913, p. 461, illustrated hanging on the main staircase at Ashdown House

STRUCTURE The canvas has been lined. PAINT SURFACE There painting appears to be in good condition and there are no apparent damages or significant loss of paint, and the work appears to be stable. The paint is thin overall, and there are a number of visible retouchings in the flesh tones, as well as a discoloured varnish overall. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals infilling to craquelure overall, as well as scattered retouching, predominantly in the costume and hands of the central, male sitter, and in the background, upper centre. FRAME Held in a wooden frame with a gilded inner edge.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

An inventory of the paintings at Coombe Abbey in 1769 lists "an Allegorical Picture" hanging in Lord Craven's dressing room, which could refer to the present painting. No such picture is listed in the 1866 catalogue of paintings at Coombe and, as the present painting is illustrated hanging on the main stairs at Ashdown House in 1913, it is plausible that the picture originally hung at Coombe, but was relocated to Ashdown shortly after its completion.

If this picture does indeed represent Craven and Elizabeth, it is an extremely interesting insight into the couple's relationship. The strong bond between the two, which spanned more than thirty years, naturally led to some gossip amoung court circles. However there is no contemporary record to support the later tradition that they became husband and wife. Despite this Elizabeth appointed Craven her executor on her death, and bequeathed to him her unrivalled collection of Stuart family portraits.