4 OF 134

King James II

4 of 134 portraits of King James II

Overview
Extended Catalogue Entry

King James II

by Sir Peter Lely
oil on canvas, circa 1665-1670
20 1/4 in. x 17 3/4 in. (514 mm x 451 mm)
Purchased, 1978
Primary Collection
NPG 5211

Sitterback to top

King James II (1633-1701), Reigned 1685-88. Sitter associated with 134 portraits.

Artistback to top

Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680), Portrait painter. Artist associated with 843 portraits, Sitter in 19 portraits.

This portraitback to top

An unfinished sketch, almost certainly from life.

Linked publicationsback to top

Smartify image discovery app
The British Portrait, 1660-1960, 1991, p. 90 number 12
Ingamells, John, Later Stuart Portraits 1685-1714, 2009, p. 122
Ollard, Richard, Character Sketches: Samuel Pepys and His Circle, 2000, p. 31
Ollard, Richard, Pepys and his Contemporaries, 2015, p. 44
Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 332
Simon, Robin, The portrait in Britain and America : with a biographical dictionary of portrait painters, 1680-1914, 1987, p. 11 no. 1

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Restoration Lives: Samuel Pepys and His Circle (31 March 2003 - 26 October 2003)

Subjects & Themesback to top

Oil
Painting

Events of 1665back to top

Current affairs

Great Plague initially breaks out in the deprived parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields killing thousands. Humphrey Henchman, Bishop of London, takes a leading role in organising collections of money for the poor.
Five Mile Act forbids ejected clergymen from living within five miles of a parish they formerly served.

Art and science

A New Discourse of Trade, written by Sir Josiah Child, outspokenly advocates for the advantages of free trade.
The first issue of the Royal Society's scientific journal, Philosophical Transactions, is edited by Henry Oldenburg, the Society's Secretary.

International

Second Anglo-Dutch War. Despite England's resounding victory at the first naval encounter, the Battle of Lowestoft, failure to seize the valuable Dutch East Indies fleet by Admiral Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, and subsequent Dutch victory at the battle at Vågen, were considerable setbacks for the English.

Tell us more back to top

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