In 1847 Ford Madox Brown attended life classes run by his artist friend Charles Lucy (1814-73) and held in Lucy's studio. He also went to the Dickinson Brothers Drawing Academy at 18 1/2 Maddox Street, London. As Virginia Surtees noted the Academy was open to professional artists four evenings a week from 7pm to 10pm for life study ('The Diary of Ford Madox Brown', p. 15). Lucy was employed at this academy as a drawing master, possibly teaching the 'Ladies' daytime classes. This is one of four works in the Birmingham collection which was most likely drawn at one of these sessions.Several entries in Brown's diary relate to the time he spent at the classes. These were attended by a large number of artists and must have become a social meeting place. On 11 January 1848 he recorded 'Thomas [painter] came in & with Lucy we went to Dickinson's academy [sic], Maddox Street. Saw Foley [sculptor] there & Paris [painter who invented a fresco like medium] & Saulter [historical painter]' (p. 24). LM

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