Peter Lely Auction Prices and Value Guide
Peter Lely auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 772 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Peter Lely auction prices: quick answer
Peter Lely auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Peter Lely
- Source records
- 772
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Peter Lely
Sir Peter Lely (1618–1680), born Pieter van der Faes in Soest, Westphalia, was a Dutch-born painter who became the dominant portraitist at the English court during the turbulent decades of the Civil War, Commonwealth, and Restoration. Trained in the Dutch tradition, Lely settled in London by the early 1640s and succeeded Anthony van Dyck as the preeminent court painter. He served Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, and Charles II, an extraordinary span that testifies to his diplomatic skill as much as his artistic ability. His most celebrated series, the Windsor Beauties, depicts the leading women of the Restoration court. Lely was naturalised by Act of Parliament in 1662 and knighted by Charles II in 1680, the year of his death. His work is held by the Tate, the National Gallery, the Rijksmuseum, MoMA, and major collections worldwide.
Baroqueoil on canvasdrawingportraits of English court and nobilityWindsor Beautiesallegorical and mythological scenes
Common works and media
Lely is best known for oil-on-canvas court portraits, often three-quarter or full-length, depicting English royalty, aristocrats, and courtiers in richly dressed poses with landscape or draped backgrounds. He also produced allegorical and mythological scenes, and preparatory drawings in chalk and wash. Many works exist as multiple studio versions, and engravings after his compositions circulated widely, extending his visual influence across Europe.
Market and appraisal context
Peter Lely has a substantial and actively traded auction market spanning over 25 years, with 146 recorded lots (84 with published prices) in the Appraisily database. Price dispersion is wide: the lower quartile sits at roughly $220, reflecting workshop attributions, follower copies, and d'après works; the median is near $900; and the upper quartile reaches approximately $3,800. The recorded maximum of $100,000 corresponds to fully autograph portraits of identifiable sitters at top-tier houses. Recent auction activity shows stable liquidity, with 13 lots in the trailing 12 months versus 11 in the prior period. Lely-specific lots appearing since 2023 confirm demand across multiple attribution tiers: a Sotheby's autograph "Portrait of a Lady in profile" achieved GBP 69,850 (Jul 2023); a Hampel attributed (zugeschrieben) work sold for EUR 9,000 (Jun 2023); a Dreweatts "and studio" portrait of Judith Pelham reached GBP 7,500 (Feb 2025); a DAMS bottega (workshop) portrait made EUR 4,400 (Apr 2024); and attributed lots at Bonino and Casa D'aste Guidoriccio traded in the EUR 1,700–2,900 range. Lower-tier d'après and follower works cluster below EUR 700. The market is distributed across international mid-tier houses (Bonino, Hampel, Dreweatts, Dogny, Osenat) with occasional appearances at Sotheby's, indicating that the strongest results depend on both attribution confidence and entry into a major Old Master sale.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Old Master Paintings
- British Portraiture
- oil on canvas
- drawing
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- The Lely workshop produced many versions and copies of popular compositions; distinguishing autograph works from studio productions requires specialist connoisseurship.
- Many portraits attributed to Lely have later been reattributed to his workshop or followers, so attribution should be verified by a qualified specialist.
- With 772 recorded lots in the Appraisily database, the artist has a substantial auction history that provides comparable data points.
- The recent-lot sample includes several false-positive matches for the name "Peter" that are not Peter Lely works (e.g., Peter Henrietta Miller, Peter Orlando, Peter Shelton). Price statistics are drawn from the full Appraisily indexed set and may also contain non-Lely lots unless individually verified.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Tate museum or university
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Wikidata library authority
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Peter Lely worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my Peter Lely artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.