FORD MADOX BROWN

'Ford Madox Brown' (April 16, 1821 – October 6, 1893) was an English painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. While he was closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he was never actually a member. Nevertheless, he remained close to Dante Gabriel Rossetti, with whom he also joined William Morris's design company, Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., in 1861.
One of his most famous images is ''The Last of England'', a portrait of a pair of stricken emigrants as they sail away on the ship that will take them from England forever. It was inspired by the departure of the Pre-Raphaelite sculptor Thomas Woolner, who had left for Australia. The painting is structured with Brown's characteristic linear energy, and emphasis on apparently grotesque and banal details, such as the cabbages hanging from the ship's side.

Brown's most important painting was ''Work'' (1852–1865), which he showed at a special exhibition. It attempted to depict the totality of the mid-Victorian social experience in a single image, depicting 'navvies' digging up a road, and disrupting the old social hierarchies as they did so. The image erupts into proliferating details from the dynamic centre of the action, as the workers tear a hole in the road – and, symbolically, in the social fabric. Each character represents a particular social class and role in the modern urban environment. Brown wrote a catalogue to accompany the special exhibition of ''Work.'' This publication included an extensive explanation of ''Work'' that nevertheless leaves many questions unanswered.
Brown's major achievement after ''Work'' was the "Manchester Murals", a cycle of twelve paintings in the Great Hall of Manchester Town Hall depicting the history of the city. These present a partly ironic and satirical view of Mancunian history.
His son 'Oliver Madox Brown' (1855–1874) showed promise both as an artist and poet, but died of blood-poisoning.
He was the grandfather of novelist Ford Madox Ford and great-grandfather of Labour Home Secretary Frank Soskice.

Contents

Books

See also

External links

Books

★ ''The diary of Ford Madox Brown'' (1981, ISBN 0300027435)

See also

★ List of Pre-Raphaelite paintings - including Ford Madox Brown.

★ British art

★ English school of painting

External links

★ The iBiblio Web Museum exhibit on Brown

★ Some of his paintings in the Carol Gerten Fine Art library

★ Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery's online collection

★ Waiting: An English fireside of 1854–5

★ Spartacus Educational: Ford Madox Brown

★ Chronology on Britain Unlimited

★ Some stained glass designs by Ford Madox Brown

★ Ford Madox Brown in the "History of Art"

★ Phryne's list of pictures in public galleries