Laurence Stephen Lowry lived and worked in Lancashire at the end of the nineteenth to the mid part of the 20th century.
He lived with his mother till her death and was most probably a lonely man. His paintings of the crowds of Lancashire connected to their work in the mills or their play via football reflects a loneliness of each individual even though he is within a crowd he speaks nor reaches out to no-one and the automatism and boredom of their existence in working in the mills. His images probably reflect his own feelings and life rather than those of the people he painted. His use of colour helps to reflect the quality of the air “the acrid fumes of industry”. The basis of his paintings is white and Lowry himself wanted that white to yellow with time. His palette is restricted and he makes colours from black, prussian blue,vermilion and yellow orchre and of course white. Notes made from the book: ref: Jupiter books (1975) The Paintings of L.S. Lowry Oils and Watercolours with an introduction and notes by Mervyn Levy (Jupiter books London Ltd) SBN 904041 239
The Cart ref:http://www.lowry.co.uk/lowry-cart.html
A white road leads to the distance curving to the left between a pale green hedge and even paler hills set against a white sky. The white is applied so as to reveal the grey colour beneath so it is not pure white but grey tinted. On the road in the lower middle of the picture is a horse and cart seen from behind such that only the horse’s neck and head can be seen above the cart dark grey in colour and looking inquisitively to the left. The cart is a simple box in perspective in a light brown colour, balanced precariously on two wheels which stick out from the sides. Two men sit within the cart leaning out on each side so separated by the interior view of the cart. The man on the right seems to gaze downwards (indicated by the angle of his head), brown cap, pink face and dark overcoat. The man on the left is a little more animated an seems to lean out of the cart pulling in an opposing direction to the horse’s gaze. This man has a dark round brimmed hat, a pink featureless face and a dark coat.He is holding a reign which is barely visible as he goes from his hand to the horse’s head. Neither man is communicating with the other, the left appears intent on his journey and the horse, the right engrossed in his thoughts. The image is cartoon like and although the size of the canvas containing sky and road and hills is large so as to give a desolate feel the two men seem protected within their cart and not as isolated as the bare environment would make one think.
playing with creativity 