When LS Lowry died on the 23 February, 1976, the 88 year old was worth a pretty penny - he left over a quarter of a million quid behind in his estate, plus many valuable works. He may well have described himself as 'a simple man' but he certainly wasn't poor!
Since it opened in 2000, The Lowry in Salford has done a great deal to cement the achievements and legacy of one of Britain's greatest painters. Their ongoing exhibition called Lowry Favourites celebrates the work you know, and the work you don't, so that the famous industrial landscapes of the North sit alongside his portraits, his sketches and his astonishingly beautiful seascapes. In fact there are over 400 works exhibited on a shifting basis so that there are always a few surprises.
The Cripples by LS Lowry
One of the biggest indicators of the success of The Lowry's ability to re-position the artist came in the form of the 2013 exhibition, 'Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life' at Tate Britain. The Tate had come under increasing criticism from Lowry fans like Sir Ian McKellen who wanted to know why their considerable collection remained out of sight of the public when people in Salford and Manchester and the rest of the region were flocking to see the work in his home city. The result was the first major exhibition of Lowry's work in London since his death. It was a hugely popular show.
The simple man's influence now reaches as far as it ever did.
Gallery entry at The Lowry is free. There are also free public talks each day at noon and 2pm.
Lowry Favourites, daily, The Lowry, Salford.
Other galleries in Manchester and Salford.