Founded in 1987, Roseberys Auctioneers began in Crystal Palace before settling in West Norwood in a former chocolate factory. The specialist fine art and antiques auction house now enjoys a global reputation but South London will always be part of Roseberys’ DNA.
While the perception of the London art world still leans north of the river or towards central postcodes, South London has long sustained a vibrant and influential artistic scene of its own.
Beyond Roseberys’ regular public views, which span modern design, Indian and Islamic art, Chinese art, Modern British and Old Master Paintings, amongst other collecting categories, the area is home to one of the capital’s great cultural institutions.
Just ten minutes down the road, Dulwich Picture Gallery occupies a unique place in British art history. Opened to the public in 1817, it is the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery, housing an outstanding collection of Old Master paintings alongside an ambitious programme of exhibitions and the recently opened ArtPlay immersive learning space.
As neighbouring South London institutions, Roseberys and Dulwich Picture Gallery have formed a partnership rooted in shared audiences and expertise. This began with a free valuations day held at the Gallery in June 2025, where Roseberys’ world-renowned specialists valued antiques, art and curios for the public. Old Masters specialist Olivia Hewes gave a talk on a Tiepolo drawing sold in the June 2025 auction, which relates directly to Sebastiano Ricci’s painting ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’ (c.1717-18) in the Dulwich Picture Gallery Collection.
Tiepolo’s treatment mirrors Ricci’s theatrical Baroque composition and foreshadows his own ceiling fresco of the same subject, painted in Udine in around 1726.
It was followed in 2026 by a special tour of the Collection through the eyes of an auctioneer, led by Lara L’vov-Basirov, Associate Director and Head of Old Master, British and European Pictures at Roseberys.
Lara L'vov-Basirov, Head of Old Master, British & European Pictures, gives a talk at Dulwich Picture Gallery
In this specialist guide, Lara shares her highlights from the talk, offering a fresh way to experience one of the most important places to see art in London, through the eyes of an auctioneer.
Dulwich Picture Gallery was designed by Sir John Soane and today remains one of the most important places to see historic European painting in London.
Among the Gallery’s greatest strengths is its remarkable group of portraits, spanning the early 16th to the late 18th century. Taken together, these works chart a profound transformation in European portraiture, as artists grappled with a central tension at the heart of the genre: the balance between likeness and meaning.
Portraits must record recognisable individuals, yet they are also charged with expressing status, authority, character and feeling. How artists negotiate those demands changes dramatically over time.
Moving through the Collection, we encounter portraiture evolving from Renaissance ideals of harmony and moral virtue, through the formal language of early modern monarchy, into the theatrical confidence of the Baroque, the psychological subtlety of Dutch painting and finally the emotional sensitivity of 18th-century Britain. At every stage, portraiture communicates as much visually as it does historically, rewarding close and attentive looking.
“Moving through the Collection, we encounter portraiture evolving from Renaissance ideals of harmony and moral virtue, through the formal language of early modern monarchy, into the theatrical confidence of the Baroque, the psychological subtlety of Dutch painting and finally the emotional sensitivity of 18th-century Britain.”
Piero di Cosimo – A Young Man, c.1500
It is fitting to begin with this striking early Renaissance portrait by Piero di Cosimo, the earliest painting in the Dulwich Collection and an example of portraiture before 1600. When the Gallery first opened, the work was thought to be by Leonardo da Vinci, a testament to its quality and refinement.
The anonymous sitter is presented bust-length against a simple background, with little to distract us from the face itself. He gazes into the distance with a faint, enigmatic smile. There are no symbols of rank or profession.
Instead, the emphasis is on balance and idealised beauty, from the harmonious features to the individual strands of wispy hair catching the Italian sunlight as it enters from the left.
This restraint reflects Renaissance humanist ideals. Portraits of this period were intended to convey moral and intellectual qualities as much as physical appearance. The sitter becomes an ideal type rather than a psychologically specific individual.
Still and inward-looking, the image embodies a sense of quietude that will be dramatically challenged in later portraits.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
John de Critz – James VI and I, c.1606
With this full-length royal portrait, attributed to John de Critz the Elder, we enter the world of early modern monarchy. The sitter is James VI of Scotland, who in 1603 became James I of England, uniting the crowns.
Though the king wears no crown or sceptre, this is unmistakably a portrait of authority. James stands rigidly upright, richly dressed in silver fabric and fur, adorned with the Order of the Garter and important royal jewels including the ‘Great George’ and the ‘Great Feather’. His direct gaze commands respect.
Even the setting speaks of power: a richly patterned interior with a prized Anatolian rug signalling global reach and legitimacy.
Portraits such as this functioned as political instruments. James was a reluctant sitter, so the image was replicated many times and widely disseminated to stabilise his public image. Personality is secondary. What matters is office, authority and legitimacy. In royal portraiture, the individual is subsumed by the role.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
Godfrey Kneller – Possibly the Howard Children, 1695 and Sir Peter Lely – Portrait of Bartholomew Beale, c.1670
By the later 17th century, English portraiture had undergone a dramatic shift. Following the transformative influence of Van Dyck, painters such as Godfrey Kneller and Sir Peter Lely introduce greater movement, informality and a keen sense of theatricality.
Kneller’s portrait of the Howard children exemplifies aristocratic portraiture as social reassurance. The figures are elegant and composed, dressed in rich colours and presented as future adults rather than spontaneous children. What matters is belonging – to family, class and lineage.
At the same time, the relaxed poses and playful details, such as the spaniel, introduce a carefully managed informality.
Lely’s portrait of Bartholomew Beale reflects a changing society. Beale was not a hereditary aristocrat and this portrait asserts personal achievement rather than inherited power. The relaxed pose, authority and classical references allude to cultural ambition and social confidence. Together, these works show how Baroque portraiture could construct belonging across both traditional aristocracy and an emerging English bourgeoisie.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
Studio of Diego Velázquez – Philip IV of Spain, c.1644
This studio work after Diego Velázquez brings us back to monarchy, but in a markedly different register. Philip IV, one of the most powerful rulers in Europe, is depicted with restraint and dignity. Despite the military context, power here is quiet and controlled.
Spanish court portraiture reflects ideals shaped by Catholic piety and imperial responsibility. The king appears remote, introspective and solemn. Even in a studio replica, Velázquez’s influence is evident. The Baroque is not a single style but adapts to national ideals of authority and kingship.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
Peter Paul Rubens – Portrait of a Lady, c.1625
With Peter Paul Rubens, portraiture becomes energetic and outward-facing. The sitter, animated and confident, seems alert to our presence. Sumptuous materials, lively brushwork and broad handling of paint give the impression of vitality and movement.
Rubens is less concerned with restraint than with presence. The sitter feels physically and emotionally alive, as though a conversation might begin. Compared to the introspection of Velázquez, this is portraiture that reaches outward, engaging the viewer directly.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
Pieter Nason – Portrait of a Man, 1663
In the Dutch Republic, portraiture responds to a society without a traditional court or monarchy. Artists such as Pieter Nason and Rembrandt explore new forms of psychological presence.
Nason’s sitter meets us directly. His wealth and status are communicated through exquisite detail – lace, velvet, marble and gesture. A subtle memento mori reminds us of the transience of life. This is civic portraiture, outward-facing and declarative.
By contrast, Rembrandt’s approach is introspective. His figures draw us inward, absorbed in thought, ambiguous in expression. Presence here is psychological rather than performative. Together, these works show how portraiture could express identity through either inner life or social display.
© Dulwich Picture Gallery
Thomas Gainsborough – The Linley Sisters, 1772
We conclude with one of the greatest masterpieces of British portraiture by Thomas Gainsborough. By the 18th century, portraiture has become more informal, expressive and emotionally sensitive.
Elizabeth and Mary Linley are shown not simply as sitters of status, but as individuals defined by closeness, youth and artistic talent. Gainsborough’s loose brushwork, light palette and atmospheric setting create a sense of immediacy and intimacy. This is portraiture as experience rather than assertion, capturing a fleeting moment of companionship and freedom.
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