She was on the Irish banknotes for decades. But before that, she was here — reclining on a green sofa while Lavery painted her into history.
The Green Sofa (1903) is one of Lavery's most intimate works. Mary Auras, his muse, lies across a green velvet sofa in a moment of quiet repose. The palette is muted and luminous — soft mauves, warm greens, the quality of afternoon light in a room that knows it is being watched. Lavery had absorbed Whistler and the Dutch Masters, and here both influences dissolve into something entirely his own: a painting that feels private, almost overheard.
It has hung in the National Gallery of Ireland. It has been reproduced on posters and postcards. And it still stops people in their tracks, because it is a painting about stillness in a world that rarely holds still.
Sir John Lavery (1856–1941) was born in Belfast, trained in Glasgow and Paris, and became one of the most celebrated painters of his era. His portrait of Hazel Lavery appeared on Irish banknotes for decades. His work is held in the National Gallery of Ireland, the Tate, and major collections worldwide.
Archival giclée print on 250gsm fine-art matte paper. Printed to order. Free worldwide shipping.
