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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Peter Lely
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(1618–80, kt 1680) Dutch painter who came to England in the early 1640s and was naturalized in 1662. His name was Peter van der Faes; 'Lely' seems to have been the family house in Holland. He achieved the unusual feat of prospering equally during the *English Civil War, the *Commonwealth (during which his best known commission was to paint Oliver *Cromwell *'warts and all') and the *Restoration, becoming principal painter to *Charles II in 1661. He adapted the style of Van *Dyck to suit the new fashions, pleasing equally with his portraits of court beauties (such as the ten 'Windsor Beauties' at Hampton Court) and with his masculine subjects (the 12 Admirals or 'Flagmen' who had fought in an engagement of 1665 against the Dutch, now in the National Maritime Museum).
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