Sutton Courtney, 1917 by John Lavery

Sir John Lavery was an Irish painter who is best known for his portraits and wartime paintings. Born in Belfast, he moved to Scotland as a child and was associated with the Glasgow School. His career as a society painter was launched when he was commissioned by William Burrell, a wealthy shipowner, to paint the state visit of Queen Victoria to the Glasgow International Exhibition. He moved to London soon after and in the early 1900’s he painted portraits of notable figures who included Winston Churchill, Herbert Asquith, Lord Derby and the Irish politicians John Redmond and Edward Carson. He also painted a number of naval pictures of the fleet at Scapa Flow. He was appointed an official artist in the First World War but ill health prevented him from travelling so remaining in Britain, his work was mainly of boats, aeroplanes and airships. After the war he was knighted and in 1921 he was elected to the Royal Academy.