'Lord Beaverbrook would roll over in his grave': Lowry painting from Beaverbrook collection to be auctioned off

It was a part of his gift to his home province – 300 paintings and a gallery that bears his name ever since it opened in 1959.

And one Fredericton artist believes Max Aiken – commonly known as Lord Beaverbrook – would not appreciate seeing one of those works of art being sold.

“This work belongs to me and you and our kids and grandkids. And in a few days it won't anymore. You can't miss what you never had. But you can sure miss what you did have. And it's part of our legacy and our heritage,” said Brian McKinnon. “And I think Lord Beaverbrook would roll over in his grave.”

The painting in question is by English artist Laurence Stephen Lowry, who often recreated scenes of industrial England depicting crowds outside “billowing factories,” according to Sotheby’s Modern British and Irish art head of sale, Bryn Sayles.

But this piece is different, she said in a statement.

“In ‘Beach Scene, Lancashire’ we see Lowry at his very best, escalating the everyday scenes of the north of England to the status of high art, in a way no artist before him had,” she said.

It’s one of Sotheby’s premium pieces up for auction Nov. 21 on behalf of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. It’s expected to go between $1.7 and $2.6 million Canadian.

But MacKinnon wants the sale stopped, at least for now.

“I think there needs to be a public discussion about it. If New Brunswickers want to sell it, that's fine. But I want New Brunswick to make that decision, not a small group of people,” he said.

A gallery spokesperson said they “spoke to and offered the painting to the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation before going to auction.”

Gallery CEO Tom Smart said in an emailed statement visitors can still view other work from Lowry, which will remain in the gallery’s collection.

“The funds we receive from this auction will allow us to continue expanding our collection of contemporary Atlantic, Canadian, and Indigenous artworks,” he said. “We’re excited to continue growing the Beaverbrook collection and we look forward to the results of the auction next week.”

But MacKinnon says this particular piece is an “important one.”

“I can tell you, when this is bought… it won't be leaving Britain again,” he said.

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