Painting: Sunday Afternoon

~ beetleypete

Laurence Stephen Lowry RBA RA; 1 November 1887 – 23 February 1976 was an English artist. His drawings and paintings mainly depict Pendlebury, Greater Manchester (where he lived and worked for more than 40 years), as well as Salford and its vicinity. Lowry painted scenes of life in the industrial districts of North West England in the mid-20th century. He developed a distinctive style of painting and is best known for his urban landscapes peopled with human figures, often referred to as “matchstick men”. His use of stylised figures which cast no shadows, and lack of weather effects in many of his landscapes led critics to label him a naïve “Sunday painter”.

I have chosen his 1957 painting ‘Sunday Afternoon’, depicting the local people on the only day off from work for most of them. The park in the centre is crowded, and the smoke belching from the factories in the distance reminds us that the industry of the region never stops working. The details are tiny, but there are many of them. This painting was kept in a private collection for many years, and not openly displayed from 1957 until February this year, when it was sold for £6,300,000.

As I write this, I have no idea where (or if) it can currently be viewed.

35 thoughts on “Painting: Sunday Afternoon”

  1. I lived very close to Salford for a while and visited the Lowry (the theatre and the museum), and the building and the museum are great. As is the Imperial War Museum North, right next to it. Lowry was a fascinating character and his choice of topic was quite unusual at the time. Thanks, Pete.

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  8. I don’t think you need to follow rules to paint a picture. Just passion for your subject. I am drawn to pictures that please me visually or speak to me in some way. The art world has obviously come around from their earlt opinions!

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  12. Pingback: Painting: Sunday Afternoon | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  13. Aside from the art “market”, which I think is heinous, I like his paintings for his skill in showing so much detail minimally: they’re not realistic, but it’s always clear what’s going on, and the colour palette is attractive. Cheers, Jon.

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    1. I actually think there is a good element of realism in some of his paintings. Viewed from afar or high above, people do look similar, tiny, and insignificant. Especially against the backdrop of a massive industrial complex.

      Best wishes, Pete.

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