Ford Madox Brown's The Last of England: A Masterpiece of Victorian Emigration

Ford Madox Brown's painting The Last of England, created in 1855 and housed in the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, captures the emotional and psychological hardships of a family emigrating from England to Australia. The work depicts a husband and wife with their child on a boat, leaving the White Cliffs of Dover behind. The husband, in a brown jacket, appears broody and anxious, while the wife, in a grey shawl, looks serene and trusting. They hold hands, and their son is wrapped in the mother's shawl. The painting reflects the broader context of the 1850s, a time of significant emigration from England due to economic struggles and lack of opportunities, despite the Industrial Revolution's wealth. Brown himself considered emigrating, and he used himself, his second wife Emma, and their son Oliver as models. The painting is circular, inspired by Renaissance tondos, and includes figures representing different social classes. Brown painted en plein air to achieve naturalistic details, such as the purple coloration on the man's hands from the cold. The work symbolizes the hope and uncertainty of starting anew in Australia.