Value of late artist's work soars

J Lawrence Isherwood died in 1989

The work of a late artist, dismissed as a "laughing stock", is now selling for thousands of pounds.

During his life, J Lawrence Isherwood's paintings were dismissed as worthless and the artist died in poverty at his home in Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Now his work is causing excitement in the art world - a painting recently sold at auction for more than £2,000.

Mr Isherwood was rumoured to have LS Lowry as a fan. The artist was said to have an Isherwood hung in his home.

Geoffrey Shryhane owns the biggest collection of his work and was a friend of Isherwood, who died in 1989.

Isherwood was a real Wigan man Geoffrey Shryhane

He said: "No one in Wigan took him seriously, in fact he was a laughing stock, but he kept on painting and painting.

"He held exhibitions in Wigan and was prepared to sell them for a pound or two."

Mr Shryhane partly puts the recent success down to the Lowry connection.

"I think it leaked out that Lowry was great admirer of Isherwood's and had a painting on his wall until the day he died," he said.

Isherwood's paintings were often based around Wigan and his style has been compared to Lowry.

Mr Shryhane added: "Isherwood was a real Wigan man and wanted to put the town on the map artistically."