Born into poverty in North Belfast, Sir John Lavery would go on to become an internationally renowned painter, celebrated for his portraits, notably of figures from high society.

Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, cardinals and aristocrats, even Shirley Temple: Sir John Lavery painted them all – and many more besides.

Orphaned at a young age, Lavery was sent to live with an uncle in Scotland, where he would begin his artistic career in a photographic studio in Glasgow, studying painting in his spare time. He began to acquire a reputation and in 1888 he was commissioned to paint the state visit of Queen Victoria to the Glasgow International Exhibition. This launched his career as a society painter.

Rugadh Sir John Lavery i dTuaisceart Bhéal Feirste i gclann bhocht, ach chuaigh sé leis an phéintéireacht agus bhain sé clú agus cáil amach ar fud an domhain. Déantar é a chéiliúradh de bharr a chuid portráidí, go háirithe na cinn de dhaoine mór le rá sa tsochaí.

Banríon Victoria, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, cairdinéil agus daoine de na huaisle, Shirley Temple fiú: Rinne Sir John Lavery iad uilig a phéinteáil - agus go leor eile nach iad.

Fágadh ina dhílleachta é nuair a bhí sé óg, cuireadh John go hAlbain le bheith ina chónaí lena uncail. Is ansin a thosaigh sé ar a ghairm ealaíne i stiúideo grianghrafadóireachta i nGlaschú, agus rinne sé staidéar ar an phéintéireacht mar chaitheamh aimsire. Bhain sé cáil amach agus sa bhliain 1888, coimisiúnaíodh é le cuairt stáit Bhanríon Victoria chuig an Taispeántas Idirnáisiúnta i nGlaschú a phéinteáil. Is é seo an rud a chuir tús lena ghairm mar phéintéir sochaí.

An official artist during the First World War, Lavery was encouraged to depict patriotic battle scenes. However, he hated war and instead painted portraits of wounded soldiers. He was knighted in 1918 and elected to the Royal Academy in 1921.

During the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War, Lavery gave use of his London home to negotiations that lead to the Anglo-Irish Treaty. He donated many of his works to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin and to the Belfast Museum (now the Ulster Museum).

Lavery returned to Ireland during the Second World War, living with his stepdaughter in Kilkenny. He died there in 1941 and in 1947 was reinterred beside his late wife, Lady Hazel Lavery, in Putney Vale cemetery in London.

Bhí sé ina ealaíontóir oifigiúil le linn an Chéad Chogaidh Dhomhanda, agus spreagadh é le radhairc thírghrácha a léiriú de na cathanna. Mar sin féin, bhí an ghráin aige ar an chogadh agus ina áit sin, phéinteáil sé portráidí de na saighdiúirí a goineadh. Rinneadh ridire de sa bhliain 1918 agus toghadh san Acadamh Ríoga sa bhliain 1921 é.

Le linn Chogadh na Saoirse agus Chogadh na gCarad in Éirinn, chuir Lavery a theach i Londain ar fáil don idirbheartaíocht roimh an Chonradh Angla-Éireannach. Bhronn sé go leor dá chuid píosaí ar Dhánlann Hugh Lane i mBaile Átha Cliath agus ar Mhúsaem Bhéal Feirste (Mhúsaem Uladh anois).

Phill Lavery ar Éirinn le linn an Dara Chigaidh Dhomhanda, agus chuir sé faoi i gCill Chainnigh lena leasiníon. Fuair sé bás ansin in 1941, agus sa bhliain 1947, adhlacadh arís é taobh lena bhean chéile, Lady Hazel Lavery, i reilig Putney Vale i Londain.