Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893) is known predominantly for his close association with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and for his masterpiece, The Last of England (1852-55), with its poignant imagery of a young emigrant couple aboard ship taking their last sight of home. Admired by the young Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Brown was introduced by Rossetti to the artists of the PRB, an association that confirmed Brown's interests in outdoor light effects and led to the glowing palette of his great paintings of the 1850s. His interests embraced decorative design, and in the 1860s he was a founding member of the now famous decorating firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.

This fully illustrated catalogue provides the first complete coverage of all of Madox Brown's work (including a section on frame designs contributed by Lynn Roberts). Drawing on the artist's diary and largely unpublished correspondence with associates and patrons, Mary Bennett provides a fascinating insight into his ideas and practice.