A detailed art historical monograph on the life and work of the influential painter by a renowned art critic.

L. S. Lowry (1887–1976) is one of the most celebrated painters of twentieth-century England, beloved for his often mysterious paintings of urban landscapes and the masses of quiet people who populated them. This book fleshes out our understanding of Lowry’s life and work through historical investigation and the presentation of previously little-seen sources, including unpublished transcripts of BBC broadcasts in which Lowry talked about his approach, interests, and technique. T. G. Rosenthal, the leading authority on Lowry, also offers a close examination of Lowry’s friendship with painter David Carr. 

This new edition of Rosenthal’s best-known book also contains an introduction by Chris Smith and previously unpublished broadcast transcripts that shed light on Lowry’s art and developing reputation. Lavishly illustrated with more than two hundred and fifty illustrations, more than two hundred of which are in stunning full color, Rosenthal’s book is, and will remain, an indispensable guide to Lowry’s extensive oeuvre and the cultural and psychological forces that shaped it.