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5.0 out of 5 stars
work in art, June 12, 2008
Work (1852-65) is the title and theme of a highly detailed and conceptually ambitious realist painting by the British, nineteenth-century artist Ford Madox Brown. (There are two versions, one in Manchester City Art Gallery and one in Birmingham City Art Gallery). It is concerned with both manual and mental labour, and depicts as heroes a group of labourers - navvies - laying water pipes in Hampstead (the site still exists) observed by two intellectuals - Thomas Carlyle and the Rev. F.D. Maurice - whose philosophies inform the whole composition. The navvies are surrounded by a variety of picturesque characters representing the different occupations and classes of Victorian society.
In seeking to understand the iconography, narratives, symbolism and patronage of Work, the modern viewer is drawn inexorably into the complex world of mid-Victorian Britain, which then included the whole of Ireland, and which was riven by class conflict.
While the content and form of the painting is discussed in detail, and the question of its truth to reality considered, the book is not simply a contribution to the history of art but also to popular culture and social history. It considers the history of Hampstead and water supplies, the Industrial Revolution, images from the popular press, navvies, street traders, the gospel of work propounded by Carlyle, the reformist philosophy of the Christian Socialists, etc. There are parallels with our own day - for example, the issues of work and unemployment, wealth and poverty.
Arguably, Brown's painting is comparable to Gustave Courbet's realist canvases; consequently, it deserves an equivalent art-historical attention and depth of analysis. The book is intended as a significant contribution to the social history of art.
While several magazine articles have been published about Work and there are chapters in existing art-history books, Brown is an undervalued artist and no book-length study has been published about it. A thorough study of the painting and its accompanying scholarship is overdue.
Victorian paintings have become increasingly popular in recent decades; hence, the book should appeal to those who enjoy Victorian art, especially that by the Pre-Raphaelites, plus museum curators, art historians, fine art students, art-history students who are taking modules on subjects like `Realism', and art and public libraries. Because of its socio-historical content, the book should also be of interest to those studying British history and those interested in the history of London and Hampstead.
Bullet points:
The first book-length account of a major nineteenth-century painting - Ford Madox Brown's magnum opus: Work (1852-65).
A thorough study of the form, content, composition, iconography, meanings, characters and ideological message of Work.
An account of the historical and social context, and geographical location, especially that of Victorian London and Hampstead in the 1850s.
A summary of the artist's life, academic training and his political views.
A chronological record of the painting's production process from 1852 to 1865.
Discussion of fine art influences and popular culture sources, and the part played by Brown's northern patrons.
A summary and review of the painting's critical reception in 1865 and more recent scholarly articles about it.
A conclusion that includes twentieth-century paintings and advertisements inspired by Work.
Over 45 illustrations, many in colour.
Detailed notes, references and bibliography.
THE AUTHOR: John A. Walker (b. 1938) trained as a painter and so has practical knowledge of the medium. For many years, he taught art history in a number of British art schools. Until he retired in 1999, he was Reader in Art and Design History at Middlesex University. He has published 15 books and over 100 periodical articles about Van Gogh, John Latham, the fine arts and mass media. Reviewers have praised his writings for their scholarship and accessibility. His book Firefighters in Art and Media was published by Francis Boutle in 2005.
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