To mark TM McGrath’s move to Stockport, we look at how the mighty Stockport viaduct which strides through the valley of the River Mersey, transporting the West Coast Main Line through to Manchester Piccadilly, has provided inspiration for countless artists over the years.
The viaduct was a completed in 1840, and is seen as major feat of Victorian engineering. 11,000,000 million bricks went into creating the 27 arch build. At 1791ft long and 111.1ft high, it is the UK’s largest brick structure.
The Grade II listed structure has appeared in many works of art. We’ll start with the grandfather of northern art, LS Lowry.
LS Lowry
Industrial Landscape 1955
Stockport Viaduct was a favourite structure of Lowry, and he would scrutinise the construction of it carefully. This meticulous study shows in his paintings, not least Industrial Landscape which was painted in 1955.
The viaduct was a regular feature in many of Lowry’s drawings and paintings. He once said of it, “It often appears in my pictures. As I make them up, I suddenly know I must bring in the Stockport Viaduct…I love it…it is part of my life, my dream.”
Unknown
Train crossing Stockport viaduct on the London & North Western Railway
Train crossing Stockport viaduct on the London & North Western Railway, was painted in 1845 by an unknown artist. The scene is significant for the pollution of the river banks, smoking chimneys and the complete domination of the scene by the viaduct.
David Coulter
Stockport Viaduct & Bus Station, 2013
David Coulter, an artist whose work captures northern towns like Manchester and Stockport as well as New York, has painted the viaduct in his work Stockport Viaduct & Bus Station, 2013. The faceless characters striding past are reminiscent of Lowry’s characters.
Helen Clapcott
Buses, The Viaduct
Helen Clapcott studied art at Liverpool Art College and The Royal Academy. She was born in Blackpool in 1952 and moved to Stockport a decade later. She has been painting dark, foreboding paintings of Stockport for several decades – including this painting, above, “Buses, The Viaduct”.
There are a lot more viaduct-inspired artworks around, which we’ll look at soon, but we look forward to seeing TM McGrath’s rendering in 2017 – watch this space!