John Riley (1646 – 1691)

• Was an English portrait painter.
• Riley was born in London.
• Riley studied painting under Isaac Fuller and Gerard Soest.
• Riley did not attain much eminence until the death of Sir Peter Lely.
• Charles II gave Riley some commissions, and eventually himself sat for him.
• He painted a grand full-length of Bridget Holmes dated 1686 in the Royal Collection.
• Two other, smaller, portraits of servants are Katherine Elliot (also Royal Collection) and A Scullion in the Christ Church Picture Gallery, Oxford.
• He was assisted in painting his draperies and accessories by John Closterman, who finished several of Riley's pictures after his death.
• Riley, who suffered very much from gout, died in March 1691.
• Among Riley's pupils was Jonathan Richardson.
• The displayed engraving is a crop from: Alexander Bannerman, after John Riley, and after Egbert van Heemskerk, John Riley; Egbert van Heemskerk, circa 1762.
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