In the show, the offset lithograph Going to the Match is a clear highlight. Produced in 1972, it comes from an edition of 300 and is reproduced from the artist’s original 1953 painting of the same title. It shows football fans converging on Burnden Park, former home of Bolton Wanderers.
Offered for a hefty £36,000, the piece in question was purchased by the gallery for a client in a recent Bonhams sale, where the final price, including VAT and the cost of Artist’s Resale Right, came to £28,140.
“Lowry has continued to gain popularity and the market is buoyant,” says the gallery’s Kevin Finch. “Although most of the original lithographs command a higher price than the offsets, Going to the Match breaks the mould following the original being bought by the FA for £1.9m in 1999. It is one of the artist’s most iconic images.”
Offset prints such as this are made with a photograph. The printer – in this case Max Jaffe of Austria – converts all the colours into four plates consisting of red, yellow, blue and black and reproduces the image with small dots.
Regular Lowry
The gallery stages Lowry shows regularly. “We are always looking to put new collections together but we have a good selection of Lowry stock most of the year round,” Finch adds.
The gallery will also stand at the upcoming London Original Print Fair.
Going to the Match is not an original print and therefore will not be included in the gallery’s offerings. However, Lowry’s The Old Steps will be included, provided it does not sell in the meantime.
