LONDON.- Street Scene, an archetypal work by L. S. Lowry, leads Bonhams Modern British and Irish Art sale in London on Tuesday 22 November. The painting, which has been in the same family for almost 50 years, is estimated at £800,000-1,200,000.

Penny Day, Bonhams Head of Modern and British Art, said “Street Scene really is the perfect Lowry. Dating from 1941, it hails from what is traditionally considered his finest period and bears all the qualities of his most desirable work. The street that runs through the centre of the busy composition gives a strong sense of perspective, order and space. The terraced housing, shops and movement of the people in the foreground create an almost tranquil atmosphere as the street winds down towards the central gates, symbolic of the industry and work that lies beyond to support this community. Factory chimneys, a church spire and a mill complete a series of rich iconography. It’s a truly wonderful showcase for Lowry’s artistic range and an exceptional portrayal of his most beloved subject."

Lowry is best known for his paintings of people and the industrialised North and it is easy to see in paintings such as Street Scene how the artist gained a unique place in the affections of British collectors.

The setting of the work is, typically, unidentifiable; Lowry’s paintings were often fantastical constructions, taking various elements such as factories, streets, bridges, chimneys from different places (including, sometimes, his imagination) and bringing them together on canvas to produce a purely fictional and idealised view of a town or city. This gave the artist freedom to manipulate a composition to his liking for added visual impact. While indisputably a Lancashire man, Lowry found time to travel to smaller towns around the country such as Berwick. The seemingly calm and arguably provincial nature of the street in this picture may well relate to his experience of such locations.