Prince Rupert of the Rhine

Sir Peter Lely, 1618–1680

between 1665 and 1671

Oil on canvas

Yale Center for British Art

A man with long, dark, curly hair and a mustache is depicted in a formal portrait. He wears a blue cravat and a voluminous orange cloak over white fabric. He holds a long, dark staff horizontally across his body. This portrait of Prince Rupert (1619–1682), count palatine of the Rhine, and nephew of Charles I, exists in several different versions, all of which emerged from Peter Lely’s studio. The original portrait was one of thirteen “Flagmen,” a set of portraits of the officers who served under the command of James, Duke of York (the future James II), when he was Lord High Admiral during the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–67). Prince Rupert’s costume is classically inspired, and the central fluted column that stands behind him not only emphasizes the classical scheme but likens Rupert to a pillar, essential for the support of the state. Valia