LS Lowry
Renowed for his industrial depictions of the North West of England, Laurence Stephen Lowry (English, 1887-1976) painted in a distinctive style that captured busy urban landscapes and seascapes, occupied with 'matchstick men', in addition to portraits and surreal imaginings.
His training began as a young adult, attending evening classes at the Municipal College of Art and at Salford School of Art, alongside his day job as a rent collector. His early drawings were done on scraps of paper such as the backs of envelopes due to the cost of drawing paper, and were often done on the spot. A large collection of his work is currently on display in The Lowry gallery on Salford Keys, and in June 2013, the Tate Modern displayed an exhibition of his work, his first in that gallery. In 2014, his first solo exhibition outside the UK was held in Nanjing, China.
