Ford Madox Brown

Carrying Corn

1854–5

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

Not on display

Artist: Ford Madox Brown 1821–1893
Medium: Oil paint on mahogany
Dimensions: Support: 197 × 276 mm
frame: 350 × 425 × 55 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Purchased 1934
Reference: N04735

Display caption

This intensely coloured painting captures a harvest field just before sunset. Each landscape element is faithfully recorded in jewel-like colours. This is a nostalgic view of rural England, untouched by industrialisation and modern city life. Ford Madox Brown’s view is typical of idealists of the time who believed that an engagement with nature offered spiritual redemption from urban corruption. Brown and his family were facing financial hardship at the time this picture was painted. It was one of a number of ‘potboilers’, modest and straightforward landscapes he hoped would sell easily.

Gallery label, July 2007

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Features

MicroTate 19

Kenneth Stephens , Steve James , Rachel Hedley , John Purkis , Petina Gappah , Mary Bennett and Nathan Dunne

Individual reflections on a work in the Tate collection

Explore

architecture(41,345)
- agricultural(1,073)
- - farm(856)
nature(45,240)
- astronomy(1,238)
- - moon(427)
- landscape(25,914)
- - field(672)
  - wooded(8,266)
- plants and flowers(2,742)
- - corn(67)
  - turnip(2)
- seasons(4,483)
- - autumn(1,193)
- times of the day(1,839)
- - afternoon(57)
- weather(3,607)
- - sunshine(517)
objects(23,463)
- agriculture, gardening & fishing(954)
- - haystack(67)
people(35,209)
- adults(22,801)
- - figure(6,745)
places(41,543)
- UK countries and regions(24,410)
- - England(19,254)
- UK London(5,181)
- - Finchley(5)
society(35,011)
- transport: land(2,958)
- - cart(863)
work and occupations(14,167)
- agriculture and fishing(1,298)
- - harvesting(171)

You might like

Ford Madox Brown The Hayfield

1855–6

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Ford Madox Brown Portrait of Dykes Barry as a Child

1853
Ford Madox Brown The Brent at Hendon

1854–5
Ford Madox Brown ‘Take your Son, Sir’

?1851–92
Ford Madox Brown Lear and Cordelia

1849–54

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Ford Madox Brown Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet

1852–6
Ford Madox Brown Chaucer at the Court of Edward III

1856–68

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art
Ford Madox Brown Head of a Girl

date not known
Ford Madox Brown Study for the Dean in the ‘Execution of Mary Queen of Scots’

c.1840
Ford Madox Brown Our Lady of Good Children

1847–61
Ford Madox Brown Studies for ‘Work’

1855

View by appointment
Ford Madox Brown Sketch for ‘Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet’

c.1851
Ford Madox Brown Cathy Madox Brown at the Age of Three

1853

View by appointment
Ford Madox Brown Study of F.G. Stephens for ‘Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet’. Verso: A Head Crowned with Laurels

1852
Ford Madox Brown Sketch for ‘Cromwell on his Farm’

c.1853

View by appointment