ford madox brown - eTheses Repository - University of Birmingham

Discussion has highlighted his use of prints as sources for compositions and
historical details, as well as his view of illustration as a useful and enjoyable artistic
outlet. Conventionally, the history of art is discussed predominantly through the
study of paintings. Yet studying and exhibiting paintings in isolation provides far
fewer insights into the artists, their work and the influences, cultural, social and
artistic, acting upon them than if graphic art is also taken into account.
Additionally, this thesis has shown that the study of drawings is essential to
discover if ideas have been changed or discarded, as well as to enable scholars to
piece together a work when, as in the case of Parisina's Sleep (1842), the painting
has been lost. It has also highlighted the importance of works on paper as important
objects in their own right. Many of the works in the collection were not made in
connection with a painting but as works of art in themselves; the portraits of
Brown's second wife Emma, and his published wood engravings are perhaps the
clearest examples. It appears that Charles Fairfax Murray, as an artist himself,
understood the importance of prints and drawings. When creating his collection he
chose to focus on works on paper. He did not restrict himself to those related to
more well known projects, notably The Last of England and Chaucer at the Court of
Edward III. Instead, he included many whose purpose was not necessarily clear,
such as the Compositional Sketch for an unknown Subject (cat. no. 154), but which
would add to the understanding of Brown's work in other ways. His legacy has
enabled this study to move away from the traditional assessment of Brown's
paintings and gain a far broader perspective of his achievements as draughtsman,
designer and illustrator. The aims of this thesis also shaped the exhibition Ford
Madox Brown: The Unofficial Pre-Raphaelite and the accompanying catalogue.
This collaborative aspect of this PhD has meant that my research is already
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