Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976)
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Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976)

Seascape

Details
Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976)
Seascape
signed and dated 'L.S. LOWRY 1938' (lower left)
oil on canvas
8 x 12 in. (20.3 x 30.5 cm.)
Provenance
Given to the previous owner in February 1957 as a wedding gift.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The sea was a constant presence in Lowry's life and in his work; he returned to the subject again and again, displaying his inherent fascination with it as a subject and as an metaphor for both his own loneliness and nature's omnipresence.

This is an early example of a theme that Lowry would repeatedly return to: the empty seascape that imbues a deep sense of calm, devoid of any depicted figures that would interrupt the enormity of nature's power and presence, and its immeasurability. The careful control of tone and colour contrasts with light, playful brushwork so that the water appears to shimmer and merge into the horizon beyond. The water seems to capture the imagination of both artist and viewer. The enormity of Lowry's subject here, where elements merge and the boundaries between sky and sea are blurred, is juxtaposed with the small dimensions of the canvas itself.

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