The Beautiful Works of John Lavery: On Display at the Ulster Museum, Amazing 19th/20th Century Art

Belfast’s Ulster Museum is one of the cultural gems of Northern Ireland, showcasing art, history, and science across multiple floors. Among its most prized displays are the works of John Lavery, the world-renowned Northern Irish painter whose portraits, landscapes, and wartime scenes gained him international recognition.

This article explores what to expect at the Ulster Museum, the life and influences of John Lavery, his connections to Ireland and beyond, and the artworks that visitors can enjoy when walking through the museum’s galleries.

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What to Expect at the Ulster Museum

The Ulster Museum, operated under National Museums Northern Ireland, is located in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens and offers free entry to all visitors. It is divided into distinct zones covering Art, History, and Nature.

• The History Zone includes exhibits on Ancient Ireland, the Spanish Armada, Modern History, and Egyptology.
• The Nature Zone showcases geology, flora, fauna, and even features a basalt column from the Giant’s Causeway.
• The Art Zone is home to works by local and international artists, with a special emphasis on Northern Irish contributions — and it is here that you’ll find an impressive collection of John Lavery’s paintings.

Spread across four floors, the museum can be navigated easily with lifts and well-marked galleries. Its setting within the Botanic Gardens also makes it an ideal day out, combining cultural exploration with a stroll or picnic in beautiful surroundings.

One of the main galleries which form the Art Zone is where you will find the art of the Northern Irish painter John Lavery. Here’s a bit more information on this famous painter: 

Who Was Sir John Lavery?

John Lavery was born in North Belfast on 20 March 1856. Orphaned as a child, he moved to Scotland where he was raised by relatives and later began his formal artistic training. Unlike many portrait painters of his time, Lavery came from a modest background, which makes his rise to fame remarkable.

He studied at the Haldane Academy in Glasgow, continuing his education in London and Paris. Exposure to French Impressionism and the European avant-garde had a lasting influence on his style.

Lavery became associated with the Glasgow Boys, a progressive group of artists who rejected traditional academic painting in favour of modernism, realism, and naturalism. His role within this group established him as a leader of the modernist movement in Scotland and helped propel his career across Britain and Europe.

Throughout his life, Lavery travelled widely, capturing scenes from Morocco, Spain, and France, while also building a reputation as one of the foremost portraitists of his time.

Due to his role as a wartime artist, John Lavery was known as a painter of peace and war. In Lavery’s case, this job involved recording war events, World War One, so they could be saved for the historical record. For his role as a wartime artist, John Lavery was given a knighthood after World War One ended. 

Like his wife Hazel, Sir Lavery was involved in and interested in the political goings-on in Ireland at the time, including the Irish War of Independence. During negotiations over the Anglo-Irish treaty, they gave their residence in London to negotiators. He also created a portrait of Michael Collins following his assassination in 1922. He named the painting ‘Michael Collins (Love of Ireland)’. 

Sir John Lavery – Is this Ireland’s Favourite Painting?

What Influenced Sir John Lavery’s Paintings? 

His travels and the war were only two of Lavery’s significant influences on his art. Of course, many more contributed to his creation. 

Family

One of the key themes of many of Lavery’s works is the inclusion of his family. Many of his portraits feature his daughters, his wife, or a family scene. Domestic scenery is a crucial aspect of the peace Lavery captured in his work to balance the war. Works such as ‘The Chess Players’ (1929) show this domestic family life typical of many Laverys. 

Many consider his second wife, Hazel Martyn, to be his muse. Walking around the galleries of the Ulster Museum, you are sure to spot her in more than a few of his works. 

The Glasgow Boys 

During his time studying art in Glasgow, John Lavery became part of a group of radical painters called the Glasgow Boys, who had similar inspirations and captured the world in a modernist style. John Lavery became one of the group’s leaders, developing a style influenced by French and Dutch painters. Lavery also brought in influences from Whistler, who was an American artist based in the UK. In some of Lavery’s paintings, you can see the influence of Whistler in his use of white tones and brush strokes. 

The Glasgow Boys were the driving force behind the Scottish Modernist painting movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. John spent time in Scotland during his childhood and is revered in Scotland and Northern Ireland for his art. A large volume of his paintings were placed on display at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery. His role as a member of the Glasgow Boys is remembered for the mark he left on Scottish art. 

What Are John Lavery Paintings On Display At The Ulster Museum? 

There are many works of Lavery to see when visiting the Ulster Museum, from landscapes to self-portraits. Here are a few highlights you can look forward to seeing: 

Daylight Raid From My Studio Window, 1917. 

This wartime painting was created in John Lavery’s studio, capturing his wife, Hazel, reacting to a dogfight outside. This scene took place on July 7, 1917, and shows German biplanes taking on the British in the skies of London. It shows the worry of his wife peeking over a blackout curtain at the fighting beyond, in contrast to the relaxed mess of the studio where she is standing. 

This painting stands in a large golden frame in the main gallery space of Lavery’s works at the Ulster Museum in the Art Zone. 

The Green Coat, 1926

This portrait of Lady Lavery, as his wife Hazel was known, was the favourite of his muse. She believed it to be the best portrait of her he had ever painted. The relaxed pose and slouch to her gown show the intimacy between Lavery and his subject. No wonder she was happy with her likeness, as it is a beautiful portrait. 

Self Portrait, 1928

Lavery completed this confident and modern self-portraiture at the age of seventy-two, showing the years of experience coming together. Lavery is framed in an oval mirror as if caught painting his portrait in the framing of a less modern traditional portrait style. Behind him in the mirror are swimmers from the Chiswick Baths he had painted previously. Lavery combines these various elements to create a more modern portrait style that is a bit fun and different. 

John Lavery donated all of these works to Belfast before his death in 1941. Although he had moved away at a young age, the city of Belfast meant a lot to Lavery throughout his life. He was even made a freeman of the city of Belfast in 1930 after his work as a wartime painter, and he received his knighthood. 

Other Iconic Works of John Lavery Around The UK

Lavery’s works aren’t only displayed in the Ulster Museum collections, and If you are travelling around the UK and want to see more of Lavery, there are a few key pieces you should look out for, including;

Second Study for the King, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Mary, Buckingham Palace (1913), in the National Gallery, London.

This piece really shows the success of Lavery’s painting career, as he was commissioned to paint the royal family. It is a large and quite traditional portrait on display in London’s National Gallery. Given the subject matter, it is no wonder that Lavery experimented less with such an essential piece of work. 

Anna Pavlova (1881–1931), Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow.

Truly, one of Lavery’s most captivating works is his portrait of Anna Pavlova, the ballerina in the entire movement. This work uses the movement of her pose, clothing, and red clothes to full effect, bringing the viewer into the scene. This portrait gained attention more recently on the internet because a little girl was photographed dancing alongside Anna Pavlova in Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow. 

The Modern Foreign and Sargent Galleries Opened at the Tate Gallery on 26 June 1926, at Tate Modern in London. 

If you are visiting the Tate Modern Museum in London, you may spot this work from LAvery, which appropriately captures the night of the opening of some of their galleries. This is another of Lavery’s more formally framed paintings as a commission, but it is still rich in colour and his classic style. Lavery was commissioned by the Tate Modern to capture the occasion, and the paintings remain in their collections to this day. 

Conclusion 

John Lavery remains one of Northern Ireland’s most celebrated artists. His life and career spanned peace and war, private and political life, and the transition between traditional portraiture and modernist art. His knighthood in 1918, his freeman status in Belfast in 1930, and his enduring popularity in both Ireland and Scotland underline his significance.

At the Ulster Museum, visitors can explore a range of his works and discover the story of a painter whose art reflects not just personal vision but also the broader cultural and political history of the early 20th century.

Whether you are drawn to his wartime paintings, intimate family portraits, or iconic images of Hazel Lavery, a visit to see John Lavery at the Ulster Museum offers both cultural insight and artistic inspiration. Check out our complete guidehere.