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Lot Essay
Painted in 1933, The Adelphi is typical of Lowry’s street-scene paintings of this period. Lowry was fascinated by the daily activities and events of the working-class population in his native city, transforming what he saw into friezes of figures against half-real half-imagined street backdrops marred by the effects of industrialism. Talking about those activities that Lowry chose to depict Michael Howard states, “Even though he never actually depicts work itself, he continually and obsessively showed those moments when otherwise alienated individuals became briefly part of a larger whole, going to working or returning from it, or spending leisure time in the park, going to a football match or relaxing at the seaside” (see M. Howard, Lowry: A Visionary Artist, Salford, 2000, p. 92).
Here we see a crowd gathering for a film screening. A line is forming on the pavement and passers-by peer in. Like many of the figures that populate Lowry’s scenes their faces are completely featureless, some not even distinguished from the white pavement behind them. The simple perspective is counterbalanced by the hub of activity and the patterns created by the alternating lines of the buildings. Furthermore, the narrow alley to the right of the painting, which leads to a hazy vanishing point, completes the composition and gives a sense of the density of the industrial city. The 1930s was an important decade in Lowry’s career. In 1934 he was elected a member of the Manchester Academy and of the Royal Society of British Artists. Five years later, in 1939, Lowry was given his first solo exhibition at the Alex Reid & Lefevre Gallery. Entitled Paintings of the Midlands by L.S Lowry, the exhibition included twenty-six paintings. The show attracted a significant amount of national press coverage; both positive and negative, but the commercial response was overwhelmingly favourable. Sixteen paintings were purchased, with the Tate acquiring Dwellings, Orsdall Lane, Salford, 1927. In 1966 the present work featured in one of the most important exhibitions of his art; L.S. Lowry R.A: A Retrospective Exhibition, organized by the Arts Council of Britain.
The present work was gifted to Lord and Lady Wilson by Lord Hanson, a prolific industrialist and businessman. In 1976 Hanson was awarded a Knighthood in Wilson’s Resignation Honours, infamously dubbed the ‘Lavender List’. Lord Wilson of Rievaulx (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976) was a devoted adherent of Lowry’s work. In 1960 Wilson admiringly offered Lowry a CBE. This was swiftly turned down. In 1967 Wilson tried again, suggesting that Lowry receive a knighthood for his contribution to British art. Again Lowry rejected the decoration; 'They offered me a knighthood and I wouldn’t touch it. I think it would be very degrading...I think it’s laughable. I’ve very strong opinions about honours. They are ten a penny. They are fifty a penny. I didn’t want it at all. I was shocked. I’m not a socialist, I’m a good Conservative. But I didn’t want a title' (see T.G. Rosenthal, L.S. Lowry: The Art and the Artist, Norwich, 2010, p. 138). Lowry’s numerous refusals of Wilson’s public shows of admiration did not abate his personal affection for the artist. Wilson selected Lowry works for his official Christmas card two consecutive years running, choosing in 1963 The Skaters and in 1964 The Pond, 1950.
Here we see a crowd gathering for a film screening. A line is forming on the pavement and passers-by peer in. Like many of the figures that populate Lowry’s scenes their faces are completely featureless, some not even distinguished from the white pavement behind them. The simple perspective is counterbalanced by the hub of activity and the patterns created by the alternating lines of the buildings. Furthermore, the narrow alley to the right of the painting, which leads to a hazy vanishing point, completes the composition and gives a sense of the density of the industrial city. The 1930s was an important decade in Lowry’s career. In 1934 he was elected a member of the Manchester Academy and of the Royal Society of British Artists. Five years later, in 1939, Lowry was given his first solo exhibition at the Alex Reid & Lefevre Gallery. Entitled Paintings of the Midlands by L.S Lowry, the exhibition included twenty-six paintings. The show attracted a significant amount of national press coverage; both positive and negative, but the commercial response was overwhelmingly favourable. Sixteen paintings were purchased, with the Tate acquiring Dwellings, Orsdall Lane, Salford, 1927. In 1966 the present work featured in one of the most important exhibitions of his art; L.S. Lowry R.A: A Retrospective Exhibition, organized by the Arts Council of Britain.
The present work was gifted to Lord and Lady Wilson by Lord Hanson, a prolific industrialist and businessman. In 1976 Hanson was awarded a Knighthood in Wilson’s Resignation Honours, infamously dubbed the ‘Lavender List’. Lord Wilson of Rievaulx (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976) was a devoted adherent of Lowry’s work. In 1960 Wilson admiringly offered Lowry a CBE. This was swiftly turned down. In 1967 Wilson tried again, suggesting that Lowry receive a knighthood for his contribution to British art. Again Lowry rejected the decoration; 'They offered me a knighthood and I wouldn’t touch it. I think it would be very degrading...I think it’s laughable. I’ve very strong opinions about honours. They are ten a penny. They are fifty a penny. I didn’t want it at all. I was shocked. I’m not a socialist, I’m a good Conservative. But I didn’t want a title' (see T.G. Rosenthal, L.S. Lowry: The Art and the Artist, Norwich, 2010, p. 138). Lowry’s numerous refusals of Wilson’s public shows of admiration did not abate his personal affection for the artist. Wilson selected Lowry works for his official Christmas card two consecutive years running, choosing in 1963 The Skaters and in 1964 The Pond, 1950.