ford madox brown - eTheses Repository - University of Birmingham

y the thousands' and 'rivalled the fiction writers' in popularity. 23 Their appeal was
bolstered by the increasing number of illustrated editions which were published. As
the name suggests, with its connotations of the visual, illustrated histories became a
major tool of the picturesque. 24 However, from the 1810s Sir Walter Scott (1771-
1832) had pioneered historical novels. These brought history to life for his readers by
blending historical facts and details, based on the author's antiquarian research, with
successful narratives. This spawned a whole new genre of novels which were
entertaining and educational. Scott's novels excited a number of artists who used
them as the subject of their work. One of the earliest was Richard Parkes Bonington
(1802-1828) who like Brown spent time in Calais and Paris. Inspired by Scott, his
small scale works offered intimate glimpses into the lives of historical figures. In
Henry IV and the Spanish Ambassodor (1827-1828, oil on canvas, Wallace
Collection, London) he depicts an informal scene in which the king is shown on all
fours playing with his children. Bonington was also one of the earliest artists to
approach his work from an antiquarian viewpoint, using the latest sources available to
research the furniture, accessories and costumes for his scenes from the past. Despite
Bonington's early death at the age of twenty-five, and the fact that he spent much of
his short career in France, his work directly influenced later artists notably William
Powell Frith (1819-1909) and Daniel Maclise (bap. 1806-1870), who responded to his
people-based depictions of history and his enthusiasm for historical accuracy. 25
23 Op. cit. at note 1, p. 32.
24 The dictionary definition of 'picturesque' as it applies to writing or speech is 'strikingly graphic or
vivid; creating detailed mental images' (Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), Random House, Inc.,
accessed 6August 2008, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/picturesque).
25 Like Brown, Bonington exhibited at both the Royal Academy and the Paris Salons. In this way he
shaped cultures on both sides of the channel.
84