Stunning Reproduction Brings Lowry Masterpiece Back To Life!

Manchester, UK: Stunned and thrilled! That was the reaction of Lowry curator Lindsay Brooks when she saw the amazing results of a Manchester reprographic company’s scanning of the L.S. Lowry masterpiece Coming From The Mill – the Lowry Gallery’s most famous and valuable painting.

The GBM Group are introducing their new large format Cruse scanner – the only one of its kind in the UK – with the claim that it achieves a level of clarity and quality which has never been seen before. And the Lowry team is certainly backing that claim!
"The scanner has brought out depth and detail we’ve never seen before – producing a digitized print which is quite amazing" enthused Lindsay. Lowry technician Chris Bowler seconded that opinion: "I’ve seen plenty of scans and prints before, but this adds a completely new dimension – it’s so clear and accurate that it’s even better than having the real painting in front of you. The potential for this technology is immense…we can do so much with it, I’m really excited!"

One of the first projects the Cruse scanner at GBM will make possible is to help art conservator Eddie Bowles create a totally accurate reconstruction of the oil-on-canvas painting for a new exhibition at The Lowry. From The Ground Up, opening on August 30th, will feature videos of Eddie creating his "Lowry" masterpiece, as well as "touchy-feely" pieces of canvas which will enable the public to feel the texture of Lowry’s paintings.

GBM Technical Director Des Bradshaw explained some of the benefits of this technological breakthrough: "For the first time, we can now create totally accurate scans of large format items like paintings and prints without having to remove them from their frames. We can even scan three-dimensional items like books and small sculptures. There’s no fall off of quality at the edges, and the scans reveal the depth and texture of the item. They can even be used for authentication or reproduction – without having to touch the original. And the Cruse scanner is a godsend for archivists."

The general public will be able to see the results of the new Lowry show, also featuring a GBM scan of the 1970 pencil drawing Cornershop. In the meantime, the last word goes to Lowry curator Lindsay: "The art world is going to be absolutely amazed by what can be achieved with this Cruse scanner. It will transform the way we look at preserving our collections and how we market them to the public. People will be able to own prints which really do, for the first time ever, look like the real thing. Bravo, GBM and bravo, Cruse!"

Established in 1975, GBM is the favoured supplier to a host of UK brand names and companies. It has become a pioneer of graphic design and production through continuous investment in cutting edge technology and its recruitment of the industry’s best people. For further details please contact Anne Livingstone, Marketing Manager, at anna@gbm.co.uk.