Adolphe Pierre Valette Paintings

Adolphe Pierre Valette was a French impressionist painter best known for his association with the city of Manchester, where he influenced a generation of British artists, including the renowned L. S. Lowry. Born in St Etienne, France, on 13 October 1876, Valette began his artistic education in his home country before moving to Manchester in the early 1900s.

In Manchester, Valette found work as an art tutor at the Municipal School of Art, now part of Manchester Metropolitan University. His arrival coincided with a time of great change and industrial expansion in the city, which he captured in his atmospheric, impressionistic paintings. Valette's works often featured urban landscapes shrouded in mist and pollution, which was characteristic of Manchester during the industrial era.

Valette's teaching career was significant, as he brought French impressionist techniques to Manchester, which were innovative for the British art scene at that time. He was a mentor to L. S. Lowry, who later became famous for his depictions of industrial scenes in and around Manchester. Lowry respected Valette greatly and was deeply influenced by his teacher's style and approach to painting.

Despite his influence on British art, Valette's own work was not widely recognized during his lifetime. He struggled with financial issues and eventually returned to France in the 1920s where he continued to paint and exhibit his work. Valette's later years were spent in Blacé en Beaujolais, where he died on 18 April 1942.

Today, Adolphe Valette is remembered for his contribution to the Manchester School of Art and his role in shaping British modern art. His paintings are held in several public collections in the UK, including the Manchester Art Gallery, which celebrates his legacy with a collection of his works that encapsulate the industrial atmosphere of early 20th-century Manchester.