Lowry’s “Glasgow Docks” – Retrospective Industrialization

The painting Glasgow Docks is an exemplary work during the industrial period by renowned artist Laurence Stephen Lowry.

The painting showcases the bustling activities of humans, machines, and ships in the docks. This emphasizes the artist’s sensitivity to detail and color interplay. The painting perfectly serves as a manifestation of the vital role that the docks and factories played in shaping the modern world, while also noting the need for us to remember and honor the sacrifices of the port workers who made it all possible

Laurence Stephen Lowry is well-known for his distinctive depictions of the working class and industrial landscapes of northern England. The painting is sold for 1,660,957 USD last 21 March during the Modern British and Irish Art Evening Sale at Christie’s London.

About the Painting

Laurence Stephen Lowry's work "Glasgow Docks" is considered to be a masterpiece that encapsulates the bustling and busy energy of the industrial era in Scotland. Painted in 1947, the painting shows a vivid scene of the ports in Glasgow, teeming with civilian activities and port affairs as ships can be seen being loaded and unloaded.

Lowry was a renowned British artist who was best known for his industrial landscapes and cityscapes, and "Glasgow Docks" is an exemplar model of his distinctive style. The painting is executed in the artist’s trademark of muted color palette, which gives the work a sense of nostalgia and timelessness.

One of the most striking features of the painting is the way in which the artist has captured the interplay of light and shadow, and the trigonometry of the shapes of the objects in the foreground. The light is diffused, casting a soft shade over the scene, and this serves to heighten the sense of movement and activity in the docks. The shadows, meanwhile, add depth, brevity and texture to the painting, highlighting the complex network of cranes, buildings, and machinery that make up the dockyards, while the shapes, cranes, and ropes of the objects in the background perfectly show the triangles of the art.

As can be seen in the painting, the dockyards are depicted as a maze of towering cranes, buildings, and machinery, dwarfing the tiny human figures that compose the scene. The workers are shown working away, pushing heavy loads and carrying carts, while the ships appear almost to be like living creatures, looming over the scene with their massive hulls and towering masts.

Arguably in several ways, "Glasgow Docks" is a celebration of the industrial period of the UK. A period when factories and docks were the lifeblood and backbone of the UK economy. However, it also serves as a significant reminder of the human cost of this progress. The workers in the painting are depicted as anonymous figures, toiling away in the shadows, and this serves to underscore the harsh realities of life for those who worked in the docks and the socio-economy classes during this era.

Overall, "Glasgow Docks" is considered to be a remarkable work by Lowry of an industrial landscape painting, capturing the spirit of a near bygone era with incredible clarity and detail. Lowry's skillful interplay of color, light, trigonometry, and shadowing creates a sense of depth, brevity, and movement that invites the viewer into the setting, while the complex network of buildings, cranes, and machinery serves as a demonstration to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the human spirit. This painting is a reminder of the vital role that the docks and factories played in shaping the modern world, while also noting the need for us to remember and honor the sacrifices of the workers who made it all possible.

About the Artist

The English painter Laurence Stephen Lowry is well-known for his distinctive depictions of the working class and industrial landscapes of northern England. Lowry was born on 1 November 1887 in Stretford, Lancashire. The painter had a tough relationship with his parents, thus a difficult childhood, because his mother a skilled pianist, Elizabeth Lowry was too controlling and domineering. His father, Robert Lowry on the other hand was a clerk in an estate agent’s office, was said to be an absentee figure in his life.

As a rent collector for Pall Mall Property Company, Lowry was able to travel throughout the industrial towns of Lancashire and observe the day-to-day lives of the working class. He also took evening classes at Manchester's Municipal College of Art. His art was greatly influenced by these experiences.

Dark, industrial landscapes dominated by browns and blacks were common themes in Lowry's works. His distinctive style was characterized by straightforward but potent depictions of people and buildings in a limited color palette. The books "Matchstick Men" and "Going to the Match" are among his most well-known works.

Lowry never quit his job as a rent collector, despite his success as an artist. He didn't fully devote his time to painting until he retired at 65. He was made an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1953, and in 1962, he became a full member. In 1968, he was knighted as well.

There were difficulties in Lowry's life. His work received frequent criticism, and some critics deemed his work to be amateurish. But his popularity didn't stop growing, and his works were shown a lot all over the world.

Lowry passed on February 23, 1976, at 88 years old. Because of his distinctive style and contribution to art history, his works are still admired and celebrated today. The Lowry Centre in Salford, where many of his works are displayed and his life and accomplishments are celebrated, continues his legacy.

In conclusion, Laurence Stephen Lowry was a talented artist who spent his life trying to capture the working-class people and industrial landscapes of northern England. Artists all over the world continue to be inspired and influenced by his distinctive style and contributions to art history.

About the Venue

Christie’s was founded by James Christie in 1766. Known for its expertise in both live and online auctions and bespoke private sales, Christie’s remains a world-leading art business that offers its global services to its stakeholders including art financing, art appraisal, international education and real estate.

Currently it has established its presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Middle East, Europe, and Asia Pacific with its main flagship international hubs can be found in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris, and Geneva.It also remains as the only international auction house to be authorized in holding sales in China.

The Auction House offers more than 80 art and luxury categories usually ranging from $200 to more than $100 million. Recently, Christie’s was honored to have held several world record prices including (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi in 2017), for a 20 th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn in 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). Christie’s continues to persist as one of the leading auction house in the 20th century.

Notable lots sold in the event are; 1. St. George and Dragon by William Roberts with a price realized of $291,948 2. BUM by Pauline Boty for $291,948 and 3. 1945 by Ben Nicholson sold for $553,164.

Modern British and Irish Art Evening Sale was conducted last 21 March 2023 in London, UK. It had a minimum estimation of $20,548,546 and a maximum estimation of $31,085,015 and a total realized price of $23,508,390. Total number of artists in the subject auction is 25.

You can own the Beauty of it!

If you did not have that last bid at auction, the WPWR Art Collective will create your very own, Original Personal and Unique Version of this Masterpiece of Fine Art, in Museum Quality, with the potential for future value appreciation. There will never be another one like it. You will own all the legal rights. It will be in the same size of the artwork that sold at a record price. It is guaranteed to be hand paint for you only, using highest quality oil paint and genuine linen canvas. You will receive it stretched and framed, ready to hang. Delivered right to your doorstep at Euro 3500. Insurance and free shipment included. Official registration and provenance documentation will be provided in secure digital form.?And all this at just a fraction of the most recent record-breaking auction price. Enjoy the unique beauty of this record selling painting in your own space!?

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Category : Expressionism HIGH SELLING PAINTING OF THE WEEK Historical Landscapes People

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