In this episode, we’ll be visiting After the Wedding by Laurence Stephen Lowry at The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King.
Laurence Stephen Lowry was born in Stretford 1 November 1887 and died 23 February 1976. He painted this oil on canvas in 1939. The museum tell us:
“Lowry is known as a painter of busy street scenes and townscapes. He was born in Stretford (now part of Greater Manchester) and as a boy he saw it transformed by industrialization led by the building of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894. Many of his paintings depict the newly urbanized areas of Stretford and Pendlebury, Salford, where he lived most of his life. Here the atmosphere of gloom is brightened by a small yet dramatic event. Lowry captures a moment of shared curiosity and happiness as people stall before a crowd gathered outside a church, as the newlywed couple emerge from the door. Given by Mrs F.J. Collard”
In the mid-20th century he gained fame for his portrayal of life in the industrial districts of North West England. Through his distinctive style, he depicted urban landscapes populated by human figures, referred to as “matchstick men”, capturing the essence of that era.
By Anthony King (c)