Following its purchase by The Lowry arts center in Salford, UK, LS Lowry’s painting Going to the Match will continue to be available for public viewing.
The historic work, which shows a bustling crowd gathered at Burnden Park, the former home of Bolton Wanderers, fetched a record-breaking £6.6 million ($7.4 million) at auction on Wednesday. With an additional buyer’s premium of £1.2 million, the final price came to £7.8 million.
The acquisition was made possible through The Law Family Charitable Foundation, and the buyer has since been identified as The Lowry.
The Players Foundation’s selling of the artwork was controversial because Salford’s mayor, Paul Dennett, insisted that the new owner keep the piece “open to access.”
The Lowry museum and gallery’s chief executive, Julia Fawcett, said the organization was “delighted” to have made the purchase in a statement following the sale.
We sincerely believe that this renowned work of art must remain accessible to the general public so that it may continue to be seen for free by the widest audiences possible, she said.
“We are thrilled to have acquired the painting for the city’s collection of LS Lowry paintings this evening thanks to an exceptionally kind donation from The Law Family Charitable Foundation.
This LS Lowry artwork belongs in Salford, on public display, close to the places he was born, educated, and resided.
“Location matters. Even though it is simply one of his many outstanding genres of art, LS Lowry’s portrayal of spectators at a football game is unquestionably his most famous.