Follower of Sir Peter (Pieter) Lely (1618-1680) oil on canvas portrait of woman, possibly the famous actress and mistress of King Charles II, Nell Gwynn (1650-1687), with swept back brown hair, wearing low white ruffle-collared blue dress, wrapped in pink shawl. Unsigned. Framed in older gilt gessoed frame with acanthus leaf decoration. Sight 13" H x 11" W, framed 16 1/2" H x 14 1/4" W. Inscription on stretcher, verso, reads "By Sir Peter Lely the original sketch ... from the original stretcher ... broken". Note found with painting reads: "Nell Gwynn. The original sketch by Sir Peter Lely of the famous flower girl of Drury Lane Theatre, from the collection of the late Sir George Cohen of Portman Square London. New stretcher & relined in the original hand carved frame." English, likely 18th century. Provenance: A private Southern collection; inherited from a family member who lived in New York City. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com.)

Relined; new stretcher. Inpainting to hair, upper left faciing, and to shoulder, right facing. Frame with scattered losses to gilding.