L.S. Lowry: Going to the Match

Key words

• Speak ill of someone: to say unkind things about someone

He is unusual in that he refuses to speak ill of the other candidates.

• Affluent: having a lot of money or owning a lot of things

We live in an affluent neighborhood.

• Fall on hard times: to lose your money and start to have a difficult life

The charity helps kids whose parents have fallen on hard times.

• Backdrop: the view behind something

The mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the little village.

• Depiction: the way that something is represented

Most war movies are not an accurate depiction of what happens in real life.

Read the article to find the answers

1. Who painted the grim industrial scenes of northern England before Lowry?
2. What honour did Lowry refuse twice?
3. What did Going to the Match depict?
4. How much did Going to the Match sell for in 2022?

Laurence Stephen Lowry

L.S. Lowry was an only child and a devoted son who lived with and cared for his mother until she passed away. She was often cruel, but Lowry followed the fifth commandment and refused to speak ill of her, following his Christian upbringing that taught him:

Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you. This will make you like your Father in heaven, who makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

His family were affluent, but fell on hard times after his father passed away and they were forced to move to an industrial suburb. Lowry's reaction to his new surroundings changed from disgust to obsession, and he felt compelled to paint the grim industrial scenes of northern England which no other artist had done before.

In 1953, Lowry was appointed as an official artist for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The following year, he became an associate member of the Royal Academy of Arts. However, Lowry turned down lots of honours, including two OBEs. He told the British Prime Minister: "Throughout my life, I've always felt strongly against social distinction of any kind."

Going to the Match (1953)

Lowry's work was mostly about working-class communities, and had an industrial backdrop of chimneys, factories and terraced houses. This showed the harsh reality of life in the industrial north of England. One of his most famous paintings is called Going to the Match. It shows hundreds of football fans making their way to the Bolton Wanderers F.C. stadium.

In 1953 Lowry was living in Salford, near the Bolton Wanderers' stadium. His depiction of the pre-match atmosphere won first prize that year in a competition run by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA). The painting has become an icon of British football culture and is still one of the most recognisable and popular depictions of football in British art. In 2022, it sold for £7.8 million.

Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs

This song was a tribute to L.S. Lowry and his famous matchstick figures. It became a UK #1 hit in 1978 and describes the scenes Lowry painted in a nostalgic tone.

Mrs Lowry & Son

This biographical drama is set during the period when Lowry was trying to establish himself as an artist and living with his unsupportive mother.

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Discussion questions

• Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
• Who are the most famous artists from your country?
• Who is your favourite artist?
• Do you have a favourite painting?
• Do you know of any other art related to football?

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