John Lavery was an Irish painter and member of the Glasgow School of Painting best known for his realistic portraits, genre scenes, and landscapes
John Lavery was appointed an official artist in the First World War. His health, however prevented him from travelling to the Western Front. A serious car crash during a Zeppelin bombing raid also kept him from fulfilling this role as war artist.
After the war he was knighted and in 1921 he was elected to the Royal Academy.
During this time, he and his wife, Hazel, were tangentially involved in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.