Ford Madox Brown was a British painter born in Calais, France, on 16 April 1921. Ford studied art in Belgium between 1837 to 1839 and started painting professionally shortly after. Brown’s early works in Paris, like Manfred on the Jungfrau and Parisina’s Sleep, helped him gain traction before returning to London and going on a European tour.
Ford Brown returned to London in the 1840s and started to paint literary art addressing societal injustice in the Victorian era. He exhibited two of his figurative paintings at the Manchester Art Gallery. Ford, alongside Edward Burne-Jones, William Hunt, and John Millias, became a group called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
Brown worked on book illustrations for William Morris and was also a part of decorative arts, including a couple of stained glass paintings, with a notable one at St. Oswald’s, Durham. Ford Brown’s final and most famous project was a series of 12 fresco paintings for the Manchester Town Hall. Ford died on 6 October 1893 in London.
What was Ford Madox Brown Known For?
Ford Madox Brown was known for his socially conscious paintings addressing unemployment and emigration. Ford was a renowned decorative artist and one of London’s best arts and crafts artists in the 1870s.
Who was Ford Madox Brown Influenced By?
Ford Brown was influenced by Holbein and Italian Renaissance artists. Other influences include Friedrich Overback and Peter Cornelius, members of the Nazarene group from Germany.
What Art Movement was Ford Madox Brown Associated With?
Ford Madox Brown was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite art movement composed of some English artists in the 19th century. Ford was also associated with the Arts and Crafts movement. Some of his paintings with historical and literal themes are related to the Romanticism art movement.
Ford Madox Brown’s Artwork
Below are some of the artworks of Ford Madox Brown.
Byron’s dream
The execution of Mary, Queen of Scotts
Waiting, an English fireplace
Elijah and the widow’s son
The Irish Girl
The Nosegay
Out of town
Head of a girl
Chaucer at the court of Edward III
The finding of Don Joan by Haidee
Death of Sir Tristram
Coat of many colors
Henry Fawcett, Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett
The English boy
King Rene’s honeymoon
Romeo and Juliet
Millie Smith
Jesus washing Peter’s feet 
May memories
The Bromley children
All Ford Madox Brown Artwork on Artchive
| Artwork Name | Year | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Romeo And Juliet | 1870 | Oil On Canvas |
| Elijah Restoring the Widow's Son | 1868 | Oil on Canvas |
| The Last of England | 1855 | Oil on panel |
| John Wycliffe Reading His Translation of the Bible to John of Gaunt | 1847 | Oil on Canvas |
| Work | 1852 - 1863 | Oil on Canvas |
| The Seeds and Fruits of English Poetry | 1845-51 | Oil on Canvas |
