Portrait of Ann
Encyclopedia
Portrait of Ann is a painting by British artist L.S. Lowry (1887-1976). It is one of Lowry's most famous portraits and its subject appears in many Lowry works. Opinion remains divided as to the identity of the subject and her significance for the artist.
in 1955, an appointment that brought him a wider recognition in the art world than he had been previously afforded. On the 1 November 1957, he appeared on the front page of the Manchester Guardian
with his proposal for the Academy's Spring Exhibition the following year. Although Lowry had painted portraits before (cf. the 'Horrible Heads' series from the 1930s), Portrait of Ann was seen as a major departure from Lowry's stock images of industrial scenes and millscapes — not least because Lowry very rarely used women as his subjects. Lowry described the style of the painting as being "modernist", explaining that the sitter "did not want her picture to be realistic; it had to be stylised." In common with Lowry's other oil paintings, Ann was executed using ivory black, vermilion, prussian blue, yellow ochre and flake white with no medium.
Upon its eventual exhibition, the painting was criticised by the art critic G.S. Whittet in the August 1958 edition of The Studio as having a "crudely stylised face", but it was not without its supporters; Nesta Ellis, writing for the Sphinx art journal, thought the painting yet willful woman". Ann was never sold at auction, instead it remained the property of the artist until it was bequeathed to Salford Museum and Art Gallery
upon his death in 1976.
and was "the daughter of some people who have been very good to me." The architect and Manchester academician Frank Bradly, a friend of Lowry's, stated that Lowry had told him she was a pupil of his mother's who had died when she was 25. The artists Harold Riley
and Pat Cooke both claim that Lowry informed them Ann was a friend from Lytham St Annes
who died when she was in her early twenties. When Portrait of Ann was included as part of Manchester City Art Gallery's Lowry retrospective in 1959, however, the exhibition catalogue listed the work as being "lent by the sitter" (named on the index of lenders as a 'Miss Ann Helder') although, unlike the other works included at the exhibition, no correspondence appears to exist between the curatorial team and the owner.
Background
Lowry was elected an Associate of the Royal AcademyRoyal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1955, an appointment that brought him a wider recognition in the art world than he had been previously afforded. On the 1 November 1957, he appeared on the front page of the Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
with his proposal for the Academy's Spring Exhibition the following year. Although Lowry had painted portraits before (cf. the 'Horrible Heads' series from the 1930s), Portrait of Ann was seen as a major departure from Lowry's stock images of industrial scenes and millscapes — not least because Lowry very rarely used women as his subjects. Lowry described the style of the painting as being "modernist", explaining that the sitter "did not want her picture to be realistic; it had to be stylised." In common with Lowry's other oil paintings, Ann was executed using ivory black, vermilion, prussian blue, yellow ochre and flake white with no medium.
Upon its eventual exhibition, the painting was criticised by the art critic G.S. Whittet in the August 1958 edition of The Studio as having a "crudely stylised face", but it was not without its supporters; Nesta Ellis, writing for the Sphinx art journal, thought the painting yet willful woman". Ann was never sold at auction, instead it remained the property of the artist until it was bequeathed to Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Salford Museum and Art Gallery
Salford Museum and Art Gallery, in Peel Park, Salford, Greater Manchester, first opened to the public in November 1850 as the "Royal Museum & Public Library". One of the most important appreciation is that it serves as the first public library in the UK to provide free access to people...
upon his death in 1976.
The subject
Lowry told the features reporter for the Manchester Guardian that Ann was 25 years old, lived in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and was "the daughter of some people who have been very good to me." The architect and Manchester academician Frank Bradly, a friend of Lowry's, stated that Lowry had told him she was a pupil of his mother's who had died when she was 25. The artists Harold Riley
Harold Riley (artist)
Harold Riley was born in Salford in 1934, his father was a jazz musician and his mother was a school teacher. At the age of 17 he won a scholarship to the Slade and went on to study in Florence and Spain before returning to Salford, where he has lived ever since. As a student he became a good...
and Pat Cooke both claim that Lowry informed them Ann was a friend from Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is a conurbation in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The neighbouring towns of Lytham and St-Anne's-on-the-Sea have grown together and now form a seaside resort...
who died when she was in her early twenties. When Portrait of Ann was included as part of Manchester City Art Gallery's Lowry retrospective in 1959, however, the exhibition catalogue listed the work as being "lent by the sitter" (named on the index of lenders as a 'Miss Ann Helder') although, unlike the other works included at the exhibition, no correspondence appears to exist between the curatorial team and the owner.
Sources
- Michael Howard, Lowry — A Visionary Artist (Salford Quays; Lowry Press, 2000)
- Shelley RohdeShelley RohdeGillian Shelley Mary Rohde was a British journalist and author. She was best known in the North West of England as a reporter and presenter on Granada Reports, but she is more widely remembered as the biographer of the artist L. S...
, L.S. Lowry: A Biography (Salford Quays; Lowry Press, 2000)
External links
- The Lowry features information on Lowry's life and work.
- Print of the painting