Critical Review
This painting, supposedly Lowry’s own favourite, depicts two central hatted figures blended into each other in an uncanny unison that could be brotherly or merely driven by a joint purpose such as work. The merging of the two characters simultaneously has a somewhat eerie effect, due to the heavy dark shadowing and colours used by the painter. “(...) they could be brother salesmen, they could be calling door to door collecting insurance”, said Lowry. Another interpretation might be that they could be one and the same person within an industrial landscape that merges all individual identity into an anonymous mass of workers. This is reinforced by the fact the facial features and expressions of all other figures, including the two little kids are non identifiable. The ominous tall buildings in the background complete the heavy atmosphere of the landscape. “It is absolutely symbolic of life’, were Lowry’s words to his friend about Two Brothers, who possessed the original.
