Adolphe Valette

• Innovative portrayal of the work of an extraordinary, but much-neglected, talent
• One of few books in print on Adolphe Valette

Adolphe Valette, a French-born artist who spent much of his working life in Manchester, is known today both as the teacher of L.S. Lowry and as the creator of a remarkable series of Impressionistic paintings of Edwardian Manchester. These large, impressive canvases present a fascinating image of a burgeoning commercial centre in its heyday, clinging to its Victorian past but eager to embrace the modern world. Valette was, by nature, a keen observer and realist and this, combined with his exceptional understanding of light and instinctive feeling for tone, enabled him to produce works of great clarity and of delicate luminosity. This innovatively designed selection of his work, complete with details, comparative images and a definitive text on his life, provides a wonderful introduction to a much-neglected artist.

Sandra Martin is Curator at Manchester Art Gallery and author of the much-acclaimed exhibition catalogue Valette, A French Influence in Manchester (now out of print).