He painted the city and taught LS Lowry, now Adolphe Valette is back in Manchester

Alex Reuben took a gamble when he quit selling suits in Moss Bros to open an art gallery in Manchester's Royal Exchange Arcade, aged 25 and "looking like I was 17". He has just taken an even bigger punt.

His Contemporary Six Gallery relocated and now occupies premises on Princess Street in the shadow of the town hall and Albert Square. It is the same Square which French artist Adolphe Valette famously painted. As well as being L S Lowry's tutor Valette also captured Manchester's industrial glory with paintings of bridges spanning the Irwell, and the dark city factories dotted with tiny lights. Several now hang in one room at Manchester City Art Gallery.

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Alex has continued that Manchester connection to Valette by acquiring 59 of his works for an exhibition later this month. Their provenance is impeccable. They were from from Valette's biographer, south Manchester based, Cecilia Lyon, who herself acquired them when vesting the artist's family and home in France while writing the book.

"I have 59 original works, some of which were on show at the Lowry during the last Valette show there in 2011, but many have never been seen. The owner approached me, which was a surprise. It is the biggest purchase of art I have ever made. But I thought it was an incredible opportunity.

"Occasionally you get offered a couple of works by an established artist but to have an entire portfolio by such a sought-after artist is incredible, and a privilege.

"Most were painted between 1910 and 1920 when, every summer, Valette, who was working in Manchester, would go back to France on his holidays. That is where they were created, in the small village, of Blaceret