Lafranchini, Paolo (Paul)
Lafranchini, Paolo (Paul) (1695–1776), stuccoist, was born 17 January 1695 in Bironico near Locarno, in the ‘Svizzera Italiana’ region of Switzerland. The Lafranchinis appear to have been members of the lesser gentry; they owned an inn (which also served as their principal residence…...
Lamb, Charles Vincent
Lamb, Charles Vincent (1893–1964), painter, was born 30 August 1893 in Bridge Street, Portadown, Co. Armagh, the eldest of seven children of John Lamb, a painter and decorator, and Mary Theresa Lamb (née Murray). Apprenticed to his father, he attended Portadown Technical School…...
Lambert, (Charles) Gordon
Lambert, (Charles) Gordon (1919–2005), businessman and art collector, was born 9 April 1919 in the family home at Highfield Road, Rathmines, Dublin, the youngest of four sons of Bob (Robert James Hamilton) Lambert (qv), veterinarian and renowned cricketer, and his…...
Lane, Sir Hugh Percy
Lane, Sir Hugh Percy (1875–1915), art dealer and collector, was born 9 November 1875 at Ballybrack, Co. Cork, third eldest among five sons and one daughter of the Rev. James Willliam Lane, of Cork, and Frances Adelaide Lane (née Persse), of Roxborough, Co. Galway. Two other daughters…...
Larkin, Diarmuid
Larkin, Diarmuid (1918–89), painter and art educationist, was born 1 April 1918 in Dublin, elder son and eldest among three children of John Larkin (also known as Seán Ó Lorcáin), building contractor, of 99 Lower Dorset St., Dublin, and Maura Larkin (née Noonan) of Galbally, Co.…...
Latham, James
Latham, James (1696–1747), painter, was born in Co. Tipperary, one of the Lathams of Meldrum and Ballysheehan, near Cashel. Biographical records of Latham's life remain scarce. He travelled to Antwerp to study, possibly at the suggestion of the painter…...
Lavery, Sir John
Lavery, Sir John (1856–1941), portrait painter, was born 20 March 1856 in Belfast, son of Henry Lavery, a poor wine-and-spirit merchant who embarked in Liverpool (1859) on the emigrant clipper Pomona with the object of establishing himself in the United States. The…...
Lawless, Matthew James
Lawless, Matthew James (1837–64), painter, was born in Dublin, son of Barry Edward Lawless, barrister, of 13 Harcourt St., Dublin, and Jane Magdelene Lawless (née Byrne). He was educated at Prior School, Bath, England, where illness affected his hearing and left him in frail health…...
Lawlor, John
Lawlor, John (1820?–1901), sculptor, was born in Dublin; nothing is known of his parents. He received his artistic training in the schools of the Dublin Society, where he studied under John Smyth (qv). In 1843 he was awarded a prize…...
Lawlor, Michael
This is a co-subject for the entry on Lawlor, John. View the original entry....
Lawrence, George
Lawrence, George (c.1758–1802), artist, was one of three brothers, all of whom were artists; no details of their parents are known. In 1771 he entered the Dublin Society schools and was taught by Francis Robert West (qv)…...
Leahy, Edward Daniel
Leahy, Edward Daniel (1797–1875), artist, was born in London, son of David Leahy of Dublin (afterwards of London), who was of a Cork family; nothing is known of his mother. He studied in the Dublin Society's school, where he won several prizes between 1811 and 1814. He exhibited six…...
Lee, Anthony
Lee, Anthony (c.1700–1767), portrait painter, was probably born in Dublin. His family origins and background are obscure but he is possibly related to the Lee family who owned estates at Passage East near Waterford city. During the early eighteenth century Anthony Lee (or…...
Leech, William John
Leech, William John (1881–1968), painter, was born 10 April 1881 at 49 Rutland (latterly Parnell) Square, Dublin, the third among the five sons and a daughter of Henry Brougham Leech (1843–1921), chief registrar of deeds and regius professor of law at…...
Leeson, Joseph
Leeson, Joseph (c.1701–1783), 1st earl of Milltown , landowner, patron of the arts, was one of six surviving children – and apparently the only surviving son – of Joseph Leeson (qv), brewer and property developer, and his wife…...
Le Jeune, James George
Le Jeune, James George (1910–83), painter, was born 24 May 1910 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, son of Anthony Le Jeune, musician, of French and English descent; his mother (whose name is unknown) was Irish. When he was 2 years old the family moved to Brittany, France, where…...
Leslie, Sir John
Leslie, Sir John (1822–1916), 1st baronet, painter and politician, was born 16 December 1822 at Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, the second son in a family of three boys and four girls born to Colonel Charles Powell Leslie MP (d. 1831), and his second wife, Christina, daughter of George…...
Lewis, John
Lewis, John (fl. 1740–1769), painter and scenographer, was probably born in England or Wales. Little is known about his origins or artistic training, although he was painting for at least a decade before his arrival in Ireland, and it has been suggested that from 1739–45 he was a…...
Long, John St John
Long, John St John (1798–1834), painter and quack physician, was born at Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, second son of John Long, basket-maker, and Anne Long (née St John). There is evidence to suggest that his father had originally been called O'Driscoll, and had assumed the surname…...
Lover, Samuel
Lover, Samuel (1797–1868), artist, writer, and composer, was born 24 February 1797 in Dublin, eldest son of William Frederick Lover (d. 1833), a stockbroker who ran the British Exchange Office in Dublin and had various other commercial interests, and Abigail Lover (née Maher; d. 1810),…...
Luke, John
Luke, John (1906–75), painter, was born 16 January 1906 at 4 Lavis St., Belfast, fourth child among seven sons and one daughter of James Luke (1874–1937), boilerman, originally from Ahoghill, Co. Antrim, and Sarah Luke (1877–1953), daughter of a weaver from near Ballymena, Co.…...
Lynn, Samuel Ferris
Lynn, Samuel Ferris (1834–76), sculptor, was born 29 October 1834 at Fethard, Co. Tipperary, younger of two sons of Henry Johnston Lynn of Fethard, Co Tipperary, lieutenant in the coastguard service, and Margaretta Lynn (née Ferris). His brother,…...
Lynn, William Henry
Lynn, William Henry (1829–1915), architect and landscape painter, was born 27 December 1829 at St John's Point, Co. Down, elder of two sons of Lt Henry Lynn, RN, of the Irish Coast Guard Service, and Margaretta Lynn (née Ferres). He was educated at a…...
Mac Cana, Somhairle (Soirle)
Mac Cana, Somhairle (Soirle) (1901–75), artist, was born Samuel Malachy McCann on 23 November 1901 in Grace Street, Belfast, son of J. P. McCann, cabinetmaker, and Mary Jane McCann (née Riddell). He was educated by the Christian Brothers and in 1915 was apprenticed as textile designer…...
MacDowell, Patrick
MacDowell, Patrick (1799–1870), sculptor, was born 12 August 1799 in Belfast, the only son and only child of a tradesman whose ruinous losses and early death left his widow and young child in poor circumstances. In 1807 he was sent to a boarding school run by Hugh Gordon, an…...