Sir Henry Capel (1638–1696)

Peter Lely's 1654 portrait of Sir Henry Capel depicts the younger brother of the artist's earlier subjects, Mary and Elizabeth Capel. Henry Capel was a prominent Whig politician who later served as Lord Deputy of Ireland under William III. Painted during the Interregnum, this portrait shows Lely's ability to maintain his practice serving both Royalist families and Cromwellian patrons — a diplomatic flexibility that ensured his artistic survival across political upheavals.

Lely's oil technique here shows a more restrained palette than his later court portraits, appropriate to the sobriety of the Commonwealth period. The face is painted with careful naturalism, while the dark costume is enlivened by subtle variations in tone and texture.