ford madox brown - eTheses Repository - University of Birmingham

English identity explored by the artist in his later works, notably Work (1852-1863),
The Last of England (1852-1855) and An English Autumn Afternoon (1852-1853). 30
These most recent publications indicate that scholars are beginning to take an interest
in Brown's work. However, they focus on his paintings. This thesis is the first
academic study to use his works on paper as the basis for discussion. In doing so it
seeks to throw light on neglected areas of Brown's oeuvre and highlight the potential
of prints and drawings as subjects for scholarly research.
This thesis is divided into two sections: a complete catalogue of the collection of
works on paper by Brown at BMAG and three discursive chapters which discuss the
strengths of this collection. The two halves work symbiotically and can be read
alongside each other or separately. The two halves are supported by illustrations of
the entire collection and other works discussed in the text. This thesis aims to re-
evaluate the remarkable collection at BMAG, pinpointing its strengths and using them
to explore aspects of Brown's work which previously have not been the subject of any
major study. The object focused nature of this thesis has led to an empirical approach
to research. This has necessitated close visual analysis of the objects themselves as
well historical analysis based on extensive original research using contemporary
books and periodicals, letters, diaries and exhibition catalogues.
The catalogue should be viewed as a catalogue raisonné of the Birmingham
collection. Catalogues raisonnés play an important role in scholarship, creating
research tools which often have a far wider use than discursive works. The emphasis
on identification and factual information, as opposed to interpretation, makes them
30 Alastair Wright, 'Ford Madox Brown's The Body of Harold: Representing England at Mid-Century,'
Nineteenth Century Art Worldwide: An online Journal of nineteenth-century visual Culture, vol. 6, no.
2, Autumn 2007.
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