Figure 1.-- A reader writes, "Here is a city scene from the Manchester Art Gallery depicting the ceremonial laying of a foundation stone for a new school at Clifton. Groups of men and women sit on wooden benches in the foreground watching the ceremony performed by the Lord Mayor in a top hat and chain of office, who stands before a pulley system ready to lift the stone. Strings of bunting are suspended from tall poles above him and to the left the Union Jack flies high. In the background a group of school children stand in ordered rows. The scene amused Lowry which is why he decided ton paint it. He felt that the participants all looked bored. There are quite a few of his painting about children activities and doings."

Laurence Stephen Lowry was born in Stretford, then in Lancashire (1887). He drew and painted the community in which he lived, Pendlebury, Greater Manchester and Salford. He (where he lived and worked for more than 40 years) as well as the Salford area. Lowry is best known for painting urban scenes in his community, an industrial area in thev Northwest during the mid-19th century. The paintings are people with 'matchstick figures' -- stylised figures which cast no shadows, probably influenced by his childhood with detached parents. Critics called him a naïve 'Sunday painter'. His father was withdrawn and his mother was a perfectionist offering little affection. There were some other paintings, including seascapes. He avoided honors, even rejecting a knighhood. A reader writes, " Here is a city scene from the Manchester Art Gallery depicting the ceremonial laying of a foundation stone for a new school at Clifton. Groups of men and women sit on wooden benches in the foreground watching the ceremony performed by the Lord Mayor in a top hat and chain of office, who stands before a pulley system ready to lift the stone. Strings of bunting are suspended from tall poles above him and to the left the Union Jack flies high. In the background a group of school children stand in ordered rows. The scene amused Lowry which is why he decided ton paint it. He felt that the participants all looked bored. There are quite a few of his painting about children activities and doings. One of Lowry 's painting always make me laugh. I think it is a young girl. He paints her from the front and then the back. Amusing but you have a complete ìmage of the clothing. He had several proper paintings of children in social science settings.In his life time his paintings were not very valuable but now you have to be a pension fund to buy one.I'll send more over when I see we them. I have a few hanging on the walls. They are processed prints."

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[About Us]
[Introduction] [Activities][Biographies][Chronology] [Clothing styles][Countries]
[Bibliographies][Contributions][FAQs][Glossaries][Images][Links][Registration][Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]

Created: 4:28 AM 3/29/2023
Last updated: 3:38 PM 3/30/2023