I see your true colours

IN his prime acclaimed as the most handsome man in London and, in several estimates, its most sparkling conversationalist, Ford Madox Brown —born 200 years ago, on April 16, 1821—has survived in laymen’s verdict as a lesser Pre-Raphaelite. In fact, this industrious, innovative painter, who was never formally a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, consistently worked hard to preserve the individuality not only of his outlook, but the manner of his painting.

Born outside England, with no experience of typical English art-school training, he was well placed to defy categorisation and embrace his preferred position of artistic independence. Throughout his life, he remained a fierce individualist: a patriot