Ford Madox BrownBritish, 1821–1893Elijah restoring the widow's son
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Elijah restoring the widow's son” now? Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Not on view at present. Checked September 25, 2026.
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Ford Maddox Brown turned several of the illustrations that had been commissioned in 1863 for the Dalziel brothers' Bible Gallery into full-scale paintings. This one tells a story from the first Book of Kings. Elijah had miraculously supplied food for a widow and her son, and is called later to her house, where her son is dying. The widow accuses him of punishing her for her sins. But after a long vigil with the boy, Elijah brings him - still in his funeral shroud - down from the bedroom alive and well. This is an excellent example of the degree of historical authenticity at which the Pre-Raphaelites aimed. The humble interior, the rather Egyptian-looking steps and shroud, and the chicken with her chick, for example, give some flavour of biblical times, if not an accurate reconstruction. Brown's Manchester patron, Frederick Craven, commissioned the painting. He collected only pictures in watercolour. Brown later painted a replica in oil.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 268-1895
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
![Two Drapery Studies [verso], Ford Madox Brown, c. 1844](https://api.nga.gov/iiif/5683f6a3-1928-48a3-8367-d0f71af636b3/full/!2400,2400/0/default.jpg)
![The Virgin Swooning [recto], Ford Madox Brown, 1844](https://api.nga.gov/iiif/963761a7-8b89-442f-8764-41df355da1bc/full/!2400,2400/0/default.jpg)
