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Portrait of Charles II
- Period
- 1660 - 1685
- Origin
- England
- Dimensions
- W 33 1/4" incudes frame" × H 37 1/2"
- Reference
- #Marh2017
This piece has been sold. It is shown here for reference in our archive.
Description
A commanding portrait of King Charles II, shown in armour with an elaborate lace cravat, his dark periwig framing a face rendered with striking presence. The King’s martial dress underlines his role as sovereign and defender of the restored monarchy, while the lace and courtly refinement epitomise the splendour and ceremony of the Restoration court.
This image reflects the iconography promoted in the decades after Charles’s return to England in 1660, when portraiture was central to re-establishing royal authority after the Civil War and Interregnum. Artists such as Sir Peter Lely and John Michael Wright produced celebrated likenesses of the King in armour, which became widely disseminated through painted versions and engravings to loyal households throughout the kingdom.