Lowry Painting Bought for £10 Expected to Fetch £1M at Auction

LS Lowry's painting 'Going to the Mill,' originally purchased in 1926 by Manchester Guardian literary editor Arthur Wallace for £10, is set to be auctioned for an estimated £700,000 to £1 million at Mall Galleries in London. The purchase, one of Lowry's earliest sales, included a second painting after Lowry expressed concern over the price, giving Wallace two works for his £10. The painting, completed in 1925, is notable for its depiction of industrial life in northern England with Lowry's signature 'matchstick' figures and has remained in the Wallace family for nearly a century. Art specialists regard 'Going to the Mill' as a quintessential example of Lowry's 1920s style, marking the period when he developed his unique artistic voice. The work has recently been on long-term loan to the Pallant House Gallery. Its sale highlights the dramatic rise in value of Lowry's art, reflecting his current status as one of Britain's most collectible artists.