Lot 7: John L. Chapman - Barton Bridge Trafford Park Manchester, Oil on board, 20th century

John L. Chapman - Barton Bridge Trafford Park Manchester, Oil on board, 20th century, L 31cm x W 41cm including frame. John Chapman was bornin Blackburn, Lancashire, England on 11 September 1946. He had first met Keith Lee in the early 1970's and in 1977 he got in touch again, offering the opportunity of an exhibition in a prestigious London gallery. Keith represented a number of northern artists, notably Helen Bradley, establishing Miss Carter Publications in the early '70s. As well as providing opportunities to exhibit more widely, Keith was able to put John's career on a sound business footing. Keith and his wife Pat would eventually go into partnership with John to form J. L. Chapman (Studios) Limited, selling limited edition prints and reproductions of his work, and securing a steady stream of private commissisions. By early 1978, John had completed over 40 new paintings for his first exhibition at W. H. Patterson's gallery in Mayfair. The exhibition was entitled 'The Nostalgic Works of J. L. Chapman'. In all, forty-two paintings were exhibited and well over thirty were sold on the preview night alone. The exhibition covered the full range of John's work, including railway scenes, period scenes of the Industrial North, rural landscapes and contemporary London views. It was a critical as well as a financial success. The London art critic and historian George Whittat compared the northern scenes favourably with Lowry's: In composition, masterly in their control and placing of a wealth of complex details, an unerring sense of environment raises them above the impersonal truth to reality one derives from a photograph... John Chapman's grasp of authentic atmosphere endows his street scenes, complete with motor taxis, electric trams, horse-drawn carts and shoppers, even to the posters of tea on the hoardings, with a sure sense of period that is gone but which for many recalls what was visually at least 'the good old days'. A second sell-out show followed in 1979. This exhibition 'London, the Enchanted City', featured fifty-two London views, all completed within a space of eighteen months. John was able to indulge his passion for trains in paintings such as 'Train Spotters at Victoria Station' and 'The Flying Scotsman Leaving King's Cross'. However, he also embarked on a range of new subjects, painting very ambitious large-scale contemporary aerial views, including Tower Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge and the area around St. Paul's as well as superbly detailed views of London's architectural landmarks. Successful London shows meant that John was now being offered exhibitions back home in public galleries. The Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington was the first Lancashire gallery to display his work. Blackburn Art Gallery hosted an exhibition of John's work in 1980, beginning an association that has lasted over 20 years. The exhibition was preceeded by a TV interview with Stuart Hall, which was shown on 'Look North West'. Over 600 people visited the exhibition on the first day, making it one of the gallery's most popular and successful exhibitions.

Private Collection

Original painting, signed bottom left corner, framed.