17th Century English School. Portrait of Oliver Cromwell, Oi...

Estimate

£300 - £500

17th Century English School. Portrait of Oliver Cromwell, Oil on panel, Inscribed verso, unframed, 14.25' x 12.15' (36.3 x 30.7cm). Note: The portrait appears to be a copy in oils of a drawing that was presented in 1766 to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (where Cromwell was an alumnus). The drawing was then attributed to Samuel Cooper, although this has since been disputed in favour of the theory that it was, in fact, derived after the portrait of Oliver Cromwell by Sir Peter Lely. When sitting for Lely's portrait, circa 1653, Cromwell allegedly asked to be painted 'warts and all', giving rise to the now famous quote