LOWRY - THE DARK SIDE

One of Britain's best -loved artists is LS Lowry whose 'match-stick' figures and bleak, northern cityscapes are now part of our artistic DNA

Despite his fame and fortune, Lowry was a shy reclusive who never married and, as far as we know, never had a girlfriend

Even when he became known as a painter, he continue to work as a rent-collector in his native Salford (UK)

Lowry died in 1976 and astonished his followers in the art world by bequeathing his entire estate  (£300,000) to a young woman he had befriended when she was just thirteen

LS Lowry and Caro Anne Lowry

The girl was called Carol Anne Lowry (no relation) who became the painter's companion on outings to galleries and, in particular, to the ballet of which Lowry was very fond.

They even went on holiday together, to the seaside, as Carol Anne and 'Uncle Laurie'.

Although there is no evidence of improper behaviour on Lowry's part, it is not the kind of relationship that might be permitted today - even though the child's mother approved of this friendship

In addition to a large collection of paintings, drawings and sketch books, Carol Anne inherited a series of drawings that were far removed from the artist's usual figure-drawings

These strange figures had been kept secret for years and only came to light when Carol Anne Lowry gave the Salford Art Gallery access to her extensive, hugely valuable collection

The erotic nature of these strange drawings of young girls is obvious, evidence perhaps of Lowry's own repressed sexuality

The girls are tightly corseted,  excessively beribboned and often with exposed breasts - images unlike anything Lowry had hitherto painted and as far removed from his 'stick' figures as one could imagine

It is difficult to categorically say what they meant to Lowry but one clue perhaps lies in his interest in the ballet Coppelia

This popular ballet tells the story of a young man (Franz) who falls hopelessly in love with a beautiful young girl who is, in fact, a mechanical doll created by a crazy inventor, Dr Coppelius

Swanhilda (Franz's fiance) decides to pretend to be a mechanical doll herself in order to win back her lover  

Kate Mior (mime) as Coppelia

Whatever the inspiration for Lowry's strange drawings they show a side of his character and art that has remained hidden for decades

 LS Lowry drawing

Although I never met Lowry, my late father-in-law Jack Garson knew him well

Jack was an art dealer in Manchester and owned a number of works by this celebrated northern artist

MIKE HEALEY