The late Sixties icon and TV star, Cilla Black, was passionate about the paintings of L.S. Lowry, the artist famous for his grainy, grey depictions of northern industrial Britain in the 20th century. The Scouse singer quietly acquired three works by the Lancashire-born artist, which go under the hammer at Sotheby's London on 13 June (Family Group, 1938; The Black Church, 1964; The Spire, 1949). "Introduced to buying art by [her manager Brian] Epstein, from the start Cilla bought what she loved and could relate to, drawn to Lowry in particular as he was the painter of the very world she grew up in," a Sotheby's press statement says. Cilla Black's sons describe how they grew up with the paintings which hung in their living room. "The third Lowry they bought, The Black Church, was actually a surprise for mum that dad bought for her 50th birthday. By then he knew which particular works by the artist would appeal to her and the ‘Black’ in the title had additional resonance," they add. The three paintings have a total estimate of £520,000 to £830,000.
