Manchester Art Gallery To Stage Major Exhibition of Ford Madox Brown

Written by Elizabeth Rowlands Friday, 12 August 2011 21:52

Manchester, UK - This autumn, Manchester Art Gallery stages the first major exhibition of Ford Madox Brown’s work since 1964. The show brings together 140 works from public and private collections, including his epic paintings of Victorian life Work and The Last of England. This comprehensive survey of Brown’s work champions the pioneering role the artist played in the development of Pre-Raphaelitism and explores how the artist’s rebellion against traditionally taught methods led to a completely new, radical and original style. On view Saturday 24 September 2011 - Sunday 29 January 2012

The exhibition is divided into 11 themes, starting with Brown’s family life and moving though his early career, his radical change of artistic direction, his work as draughtsman, painter of landscapes, portraits and scenes of Victorian life, storyteller and designer. It also covers the years Brown spent in Manchester working on the Town Hall murals.

The public have not laid eyes on the heavenly depiction of "The Seraph's Watch" for over a century and many people thought the painting was lost. But now the work by pre-Raphaelite British artist Ford Madox Brown, depicting the serene gaze of two angels before a crown of thorns, will be exhibited at Manchester Art Gallery in northern England next month.

Completed in 1847, The Seraph's Watch was last displayed publicly in London in 1896, at which point the painting disappeared - and was even feared lost - until it was rediscovered in a private collection two years ago by the exhibition's curator, Julian Treuherz.

"When I saw the painting I knew instantly what it was. It had been regarded as lost but we all knew what it looked like from the copy made by Madox Brown's pupil, Dante Gabriel Rossetti," Treuherz, an expert in Victorian art.

Manchester Art Gallery is the only UK venue for the exhibition. It will then tour to The Museum of Fine Arts Ghent from 25 February to 3 June 2012.

The exhibition is curated by Julian Treuherz, an independent art historian and curator, and an expert in Victorian art.

A catalogue, published by Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd., accompanies the show and will be sold in Manchester Art Gallery shop and online.

Manchester Art Gallery is one of the region’s most popular cultural destinations, attracting over 400,000 visits each year. Between 1998 and 2002, a £35million refurbishment and expansion programme transformed the venue into a world-class gallery for Manchester. Since then, Manchester Art Gallery has won many awards and has developed a national reputation for its high quality, audience focused services.

Manchester Art Gallery houses many of the city’s most important fine and decorative art works, which have been Designated as being of national importance. Our collection covers over six centuries up to the present day, but we are especially renowned for our 19th century British paintings. Particular visitor favorites include our collection of major Pre-Raphaelite works and the impressionistic paintings of Adolphe Valette.  Visit : http://www.manchestergalleries.org/

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