Theodore Major (1908-1999)
Lot 51

Theodore Major (1908-1999)

Lancashire Scene

Closed17 December 2008

Price Realised

GBP 20,000

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Theodore Major (1908-1999)
Lancashire Scene
signed and inscribed 'LANCASHIRE SCENE/MAJOR' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
22 x 26 in. (55.9 x 66 cm.)
Painted in the late 1940s.

Specialist note

This year marks the centenary of the birth of Theodore Major and has been celebrated with a large exhibition at Gallery Oldham and the launch of a fully illustrated biography of the artist (M. Major, Vision Splendid: Theodore Major, Chichester, 2008).

The present work was painted in the late 1940s when the family lived in Wigan. After moving to Appley Bridge in 1950, Major painted on board rather than canvas and relatively few works remain from the earlier period.

The gallery notice on the reverse probably refers to The Midday Studios in Mosley Street, Manchester, a small avant garde gallery run by Margo Ingham. L.S. Lowry was a fellow contributor to these exhibitions along with Henry Moore and Patrick Heron amongst others. Unlike these artists Major chose a more reclusive existence turning down both money and opportunity on many occassions declaring that he needed peace to work.

We are very grateful to Mary Major for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.