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Ford Maddox Brown
1821-1893
"Jesus Washing Peter's Feet" 1852-6
| Presented by subscribers 1893. This picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1852 with a quotation from the New Testament book of St John: '[Jesus] poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them, with the towel wherewith he was girded ...'. Madox Brown's realistic treatment of subject matter was an early inspiration to the Pre-Raphaelites. In this case, however, it is possible that Millais' 'Christ in the House of His Parents' (in Room 10) influenced Brown's choice of subject matter. Partly because Brown originally painted Jesus semi-clad (he later added drapery) and also depicted a woman in the scene, the painting shocked many viewers and remained unsold until 1857 after Brown retouched it. (From the display caption May 1996) |
