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Lot Essay
"I never asked Lowry if I could buy a painting or a drawing but always let the proposal come from him. Quite often I would visit him, arriving at about 8.30 pm. and staying until the early morning hours, every few months, and a year or two would pass without buying a work. Then, as with this drawing, he would produce a portfolio of work and tell me that if I'd like to look through them I could have one. There were usually about twenty or twenty-five drawings in each portfolio and from folio to folio there seemed to be a gradation according to a certain 'quality' range. Once I seized upon a drawing of several persons pulling the ears of a fat boy and Lowry promptly took it from my grasp, 'Wrong portfolio, Sir, it should never have been in that one.'
So I did not get it!
This large and bizarre drawing Family Group I like very much for the implicit comments on people and age.
'Who are they, Sir? They are my friends and neighbours. Look along the Stalybridge Road (where The Elms is situated) and you will see every one of them - all done from life ... all done from life. Now there's a good title - Friends and Neighbours but it might offend so let's call it Family Group. They are still there - just take a look around.'
I had, in fact, already recognised at least two of them. A week of two later I reported back to Lowry that I had seen them all and he was delighted.
'What did I tell you, Sir? What did I tell you? They are all outside, every one of them ... even the dog!'"
So I did not get it!
This large and bizarre drawing Family Group I like very much for the implicit comments on people and age.
'Who are they, Sir? They are my friends and neighbours. Look along the Stalybridge Road (where The Elms is situated) and you will see every one of them - all done from life ... all done from life. Now there's a good title - Friends and Neighbours but it might offend so let's call it Family Group. They are still there - just take a look around.'
I had, in fact, already recognised at least two of them. A week of two later I reported back to Lowry that I had seen them all and he was delighted.
'What did I tell you, Sir? What did I tell you? They are all outside, every one of them ... even the dog!'"