Seascape, 1945

Oil on Board
15 x 19¾ ins (38.10 x 50.17 cms)
Signed and dated


  Reserved

Provenance

LeFevre Gallery, London
Crane Kalman Gallery, London

General Notes

This is a 1940s example of a theme that Lowry would repeatedly return to, displaying his inherent fascination with it as a subject and as an metaphor for both his own loneliness and nature's omnipresence. These empty seascape imbue a deep sense of calm, devoid of any depicted figures that would interrupt the enormity of nature's power and presence, and its immeasurability. The careful control of tone and colour contrasts with light, playful brushwork so that the water appears to shimmer and merge into the horizon beyond. The water seems to capture the imagination of both artist and viewer. The enormity of Lowry's subject here, where elements merge and the boundaries between sky and sea are blurred, is juxtaposed with the small dimensions of the canvas itself.
A similar sized painting dated 1944 sold at auction at Christies for £313,250 in June 2008.