The Future of the Jubilee Decorations by Ford Madox Brown

Step into a fascinating chapter of Manchester’s artistic history as we open up a conversation about thirteen vast canvases painted by Ford Madox Brown in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

Originally created for a temporary exhibition dome in Old Trafford, these paintings were only ever meant to be seen for four months. Architect Edgar Wood, presented them to Manchester City Art Gallery in 1926. Today, just seven of these canvases remain in the city’s collection, however they have been in deep storage for decades.

Now, after a year-long review, considering their current condition and the practical realities of future use, the Gallery has made the difficult decision to find a new purpose for these works. But before that happens, we want to talk about it—openly, honestly, and together.

Join us for an afternoon of reflection and discussion as we explore the reasoning behind this decision. Hear from a panel of expert voices including:

• Inbal Livne, Senior Creative Lead, Manchester City Galleries

• Julian Treuherz, Art Historian and author of Ford Madox Brown: Pre-Raphaelite Pioneer

• Ruth Murray, Artist

• Julia Jackson, Gallery Conservator

• Kate Jesson and Rebecca Milner, Gallery Curators

We invite you to listen, reflect, and share your perspectives as we consider the legacy and future of these unusual works.

Part of the Taking Stock programme

This event concludes the year-long Taking Stock initiative—a comprehensive review of the collections, exploring what Manchester City Galleries hold, why and how it can shape the future of Manchester’s art heritage. Supported by the Heritage Fund.

Julian Treuherz is an art historian who was Keeper of Art Galleries for National Museums Liverpool between 1989 and 2007. He has written many books, articles and exhibition catalogues. He is the author of Ford Madox Brown: Pre-Raphaelite Pioneer which was published to accompany an exhibition of the artist's work that ran from September 2011 to January 2012 at Manchester Art Gallery.

Ruth Murray graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2008 and was the Derek Hill Scholar at the British School at Rome. Her notable exhibitions include Northern Stars at the A Foundation, Saatchi’s 4 New Sensations, The Creative Cities Collection at the Barbican and the BP Portrait Award. She was awarded an Elizabeth Greenshields grant in 2021, won the Jackson’s Painting Prize in 2020 and was shortlisted for the Contemporary British Painting Prize in 2019. Her work is in both private and public collections worldwide. Ruth’s painting Duff, was purchased from the artist with the assistance of The Manchester Contemporary Art Fund in 2024 and is currently on display alongside Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite collections in Gallery 7

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