L.S. Lowry, The Lowry Collection

Laurence Stephen Lowry has long been one of Britain’s most popular artists. He is best known for his industrial landscapes and crowd scenes but they were only one facet of his broader vision, which included evocative seascapes, rural landscapes and imagined portraits.

For a much-imitated artist so apparently familiar to us, Lowry’s life and career remain full of surprises. As the world’s largest collection of paintings and drawings by the artist, including photographs, press cuttings and exhibition catalogues related to his work, The Lowry Collection provides the broadest context in which to look at his life, work and career afresh. Here, curator Claire H. Stewart tells Lowry’s story through a selection of highlights from the Collection, which is housed in the landmark multi- disciplinary arts centre that bears his name.