Arthur Lowe

Key facts

Lived

1865–1940^[4]

Wikipedia

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• What is Arthur Lowe known for?+

  Arthur Lowe is known for his paintings of the Vale of Belvoir. His work was exhibited at the Royal Academy twice, and he appeared on the walls of Nottingham Castle Museum 99 times.
• What is Arthur Lowe's most famous work?+

  Arthur Lowe (1915^[4]-1982^[4]) is best remembered for his acting, especially his role as Captain Mainwaring in the BBC television sitcom *Dad's Army*. This programme, which aired from 1968 to 1977, followed the Home Guard, a British civilian defence organisation during the Second World War. Lowe's portrayal of the pompous, yet ultimately well-meaning, Captain Mainwaring made him a household name. His character's catchphrases, such as "Don't panic!", became widely recognised. Lowe's performance earned him a BAFTA award in 1973. Although *Dad's Army* is his most famous work, Lowe had a long and varied acting career. He appeared in numerous films, including *This Sporting Life* (1963) and *O Lucky Man!* (1973). He also worked extensively in theatre, with roles in Shakespearean productions and modern plays. However, it is his comedic role in *Dad's Army* that secured his place in British popular culture. The series continues to be broadcast and remains popular with audiences of all ages.
• What should I know about Arthur Lowe's prints?+

  Arthur Lowe was not a printmaker. There are, however, prints related to the actor Arthur Lowe (1915^[4]-1982^[4]). These are reproductions, copies of artworks made in other media, such as paintings or watercolours. They are produced by a photomechanical process. Original prints are conceived as prints by the artist. They are made solely as prints, often in numbered editions, and signed by the artist. Each print in the edition is an original, printed from a plate, stone, screen, or block created for that purpose. The artist decides the number of prints in the edition. Numbering accounts for the number of prints; for example, 12/25 means it is print number 12 of an edition of 25. Early prints were not numbered or signed; the artist might have signed the plate or stone. Reproductions are copies of artworks conceived in another medium. Numbering and signing a reproduction does not change its essence; it is still a copy, not an original print.
• What style or movement did Arthur Lowe belong to?+

  Arthur Lowe (1858-1935^[4]) was a British painter of genre scenes and portraits. He is best described as a late Victorian narrative painter. His work often depicted anecdotal or sentimental subjects, reflecting the tastes of the period. Lowe's style is characterised by its realism and attention to detail. He often painted domestic interiors and scenes of everyday life. These paintings offer a glimpse into the social customs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He had a particular skill for capturing the textures of fabrics and surfaces. Although Lowe did not belong to a formal artistic movement, his work aligns with the broader tradition of British narrative painting. This tradition includes artists such as William Powell Frith and George Elgar Hicks. These artists focused on telling stories through their paintings, often with a moral or sentimental message. Lowe exhibited at the Royal Academy, and his paintings were popular with the middle classes. His work provides insights into the values and aesthetics of his time.
• What techniques or materials did Arthur Lowe use?+

  Information on Arthur Lowe's specific techniques and materials is scarce in the provided texts. However, the passages do offer some general context about artistic techniques. Artists are not always restricted by their chosen medium. They make important choices that exist outside the limitations of materials. Understanding the techniques and processes used by artists is essential. This understanding also requires appreciating the connection between the qualities of the medium, the technique, and the aesthetic decisions made by the artist. One passage describes an artist using Flake White to prime a cotton canvas. They mix oil paint with a medium of wax and turpentine, applying it with a brush and working it with a spatula and knife. The artist aims for consistent surfaces within a painting, noting that heating the medium can affect the paint's consistency. Another passage mentions using artist-quality paints for colour saturation and stability. The artist favours Filbert and flat hog hair brushes, avoiding synthetic ones. Grounds include gessoed MDF, primed canvas stuck to MDF, and primed canvas, all of artist quality. The artist finds personal reward in priming and stretching their own canvases.
• What was Arthur Lowe known for?+

  The reference texts provided do not contain information about Arthur Lowe's notability as an artist. They discuss the selection of works for an art history book, and the challenges of including a broad range of artists and styles. The passages mention the difficulty of choosing which artists to include, and the rationale behind prioritising well-known masterpieces over lesser-known artists, even those of personal interest to the author. Artists such as Quercia, Signorelli, Carpaccio, Peter Vischer, Brouwer, Terborch, Canaletto and Corot are name-checked as examples of artists who could not be accommodated in the survey. The passages also touch on the importance of seeing artworks in person, and the goal of placing works within their historical context to understand the artist's intentions. One passage discusses Collingwood's aesthetics and the role of art in addressing corruption of consciousness. Another discusses the ideas of the fictional artist Adolf M. Pure.
• When did Arthur Lowe live and work?+

  Arthur Lowe (1915^[4]-1982^[4]) was an English actor. He is best known for his role as Captain Mainwaring in the BBC television sitcom *Dad's Army*. Born in Hayfield, Derbyshire, Lowe began his acting career in repertory theatre after service in the army during the Second World War. He worked in a variety of stage and radio productions before transitioning to television and film. Early television appearances included roles in *Coronation Street* and *Z Cars*. *Dad's Army*, which aired from 1968 to 1977, brought Lowe national recognition and a BAFTA award. His portrayal of the pompous, yet ultimately well-meaning, Captain Mainwaring became iconic. Beyond *Dad's Army*, Lowe had a successful career in other television programmes, films, and on stage. He appeared in films such as *If....* (1968) and *O Lucky Man!* (1973), both directed by Lindsay Anderson. He also starred in television sitcoms including *Potter* and *Bless Me, Father*. Lowe continued to work until his death in 1982, maintaining a presence on British television and in the theatre.
• Where can I see Arthur Lowe's work?+

  You can find artworks at several museums. In the UK, these include the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, the Geffrye Museum in London, the Manchester Art Gallery, the National Museums of Scotland (Royal Museum) in Edinburgh, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Other museums include the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto), the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). Other museums that may hold relevant works are the Beaux-Arts Museum of Arras, the Deutsches Historisches Museum (Berlin), the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Kunsthaus Zurich, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Paris), the National Museum of Ireland (Decorative Arts and History, Dublin), and the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam).
• Who did Arthur Lowe influence?+

  Arthur Lowe (1915^[4]-1982^[4]) is best known for his role as Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom *Dad's Army*. Although his influence is difficult to measure directly, his comedic performances have certainly affected subsequent generations of actors and comedians. Lowe's portrayal of Mainwaring, a pompous and comically inept Home Guard officer, established a memorable character in British popular culture. His precise delivery, facial expressions, and physical comedy created a figure that is both laughable and strangely sympathetic. This careful balance of humour and humanity likely influenced later comedic performers who sought to create similarly complex characters. Many actors have cited *Dad's Army* as an influence on their own work. The show's popularity and repeated broadcasts have ensured that Lowe's performance continues to be seen by new audiences. The character of Captain Mainwaring has become a touchstone for British comedy, shaping audience expectations and providing a benchmark for comedic acting. While it is challenging to identify specific individuals directly influenced by Lowe, his impact on British comedy is undeniable.
• Who influenced Arthur Lowe?+

  Arthur Lowe (1858-1939^[4]) was an English painter, printmaker, and teacher. He is best known for his rural genre scenes and animal paintings. Lowe's artistic education began at the Nottingham School of Art. He then studied in Paris at the Académie Julian, a popular destination for international art students. At the Académie, he received instruction from William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury, both noted academic painters. Bouguereau's influence is particularly apparent in Lowe's early paintings, which exhibit a similar attention to detail and smooth finish. Lowe was also influenced by the work of Jean-François Millet, a French painter known for his depictions of peasant life. Millet's focus on the dignity of labour and the beauty of the everyday resonated with Lowe, who adopted a similar approach in his own paintings of rural England. In addition, Lowe's printmaking was likely informed by the British Etching Revival, a movement that promoted original etching as a fine-art medium. He became an Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1887^[4].
• Who was Arthur Lowe?+

  Arthur Lowe (1915^[4]-1982^[4]) was an English actor. He is best known for his role as Captain Mainwaring in the BBC television sitcom *Dad's Army* (1968-1977). Born in Hayfield, Derbyshire, Lowe began his career in repertory theatre after service in the army during the Second World War. Before *Dad's Army*, he appeared in various television programmes, including *Coronation Street* (as Leonard Swindley) and *Z Cars*. His film credits include *If....* (1968) and *O Lucky Man!* (1973), both directed by Lindsay Anderson. Lowe's portrayal of the pompous, yet ultimately well-meaning, Captain Mainwaring established him as a household name. He won a BAFTA award in 1973 for Best Light Entertainment Performance. Beyond *Dad's Army*, Lowe continued to work in television, film, and theatre. He starred in the sitcom *Potter* (1979-1980), and he performed onstage in productions such as *The Dresser*. Arthur Lowe died in 1982, at the age of 66, in Birmingham.
• What was Arthur Lowe's art style?+

  Arthur Lowe's work belonged to the English Impressionist tradition. Seasonal subjects, such as autumnal fields, harvest scenes, and landscapes caught in shifting light, dominated his output.