ford madox brown - eTheses Repository - University of Birmingham

carefully collated from different known portraits, and more than any other
from the bust at Stratford. This picture is an attempt to supply the want of
credible likeness of our national poet, as a historian recasts some tale, told
long since by chroniclers in many fragments. 191
Brown had finished the work by Spring 1850 and was asked to design the invitation card
to view the portrait at the Dickinson's gallery on New Bond Street, London. Brown
resentfully noted: 'I was paid 60s guineas [for the painting] … afterwards I designed a
card for Dickinson exhibition of Shakespear on which I worked several days for no
remunoration.' 192
Although the composition of the portrait and the invitation card are similar, in the
invitation Shakespeare's right hand rests on a table next to the masks of Comedy and
Tragedy, rather than a writing desk with books, and is enclosed in a gothic border. It is
unclear whether the drawing of Shakespeare is an early study for the portrait or the
invitation as Shakespeare wears a different costume to either the painting or the card, and
his left hand rests on a table stacked with books, rather than hanging by his side. The
Ashmolean holds a sketch for the invitation which includes both the border and the gothic
writing found on the printed card.
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THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE
Related works:
Ashmolean
The Spirit of Justice: Study for the Head of the Baron, 1844, black chalk, WA1954. The Ashmolean has
incorrectly identified it as Head of a Soldier in Chain Mail Hood.
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Hartley Collection
Justice, 1845, pencil on paper, 55.1553
Manchester Art Gallery
The Spirit of Justice: Compositional Study, 1845, pencil, watercolour and body colour, 19.25.94
The Spirit of Justice: Fragment of the Cartoon, 1844-5, charcoal on buff paper, 1966.294
The Spirit of Justice: Study for the Hand of the Widow, 1844, black chalk (on the reverse of First study for
Work, 1856, pencil on paper) 1965.310
Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton (on loan from Mrs Dennis)
The Spirit of Justice: Study of a Bishop’s left Hand, 1845
In 1834 the original Houses of Parliament burnt down. In 1840 Charles Barry won the
competition to design the new Houses of Parliament and in November 1841 a Royal
Commission was set up to
co-ordinate the decoration of the interior of Barry’ s Gothic
design. ultations with leading British artists and the German mural
193 Following cons
191 Op. cit. at note 20, p. 6.
192 Op. cit. at note 2, p. 72.
193 A commission was set up by Robert Peel in November 1841. Charles Eastlake was asked to be
Secretary and Price Albert to be President.
277