Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A.

A gift from the artist to the present owner, the film director John Read, whilst making a film for the BBC on Lowry in 1956-57

The board is in good overall condition. There is a horizontal line across the upper edge of the board which may be a crack in the wood. There are some small spots of craquelure in all four quadrants of the paint surface. There appears to be a tiny spot of paint loss in the far edge of the lower right corner. There is no sign of retouching under ultra-violet light. Presented against a hessian covered backboard within a simple wooden frame. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 5381 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Images of outcasts and those who were down on their luck were always of interest to Lowry - one need only think of The Cripples (The Lowry) of 1949 for a panorama filled with such figures – and in his later work those who found themselves drifting beyond the usual fringes of society came to occupy him more and more. Perhaps the revelations of his father's insolvency that came after his death made Lowry more than usually aware of how easily an apparently respectable figure might slip off the path, but for whatever reason, such figures made more and more frequent appearances in his paintings, most often presented, as here, with no background or setting to detract from the pathos of their situation.

Yet often the figures themselves seem blissfully unaware of our own feelings. The bearded and over-coated subject of Portrait of a Man seems rather unabashed by his outstretched hand and one feels that should we offer any disapprobation, it would be the least of his problems.