Dalton Collecting Marsh Fire Gas

Dalton Collecting Marsh Fire Gas is a canvass paint completed in 1893 done in Manchester, and its genre is History painting. In the paint, scientist John Dalton is seen stirring up muddy water in a swampy pool, with a little boy helping him, and other children can also be seen together with a cow in the background.

The color used in the paint is rich, vivid, bright, natural and compatible colors. They are rich and harmonious. The colors have an overall tone of monochromatic. The composition of the paint is such that the scientist is depicted as the main subject of the art assisted by his junior in collecting the gas. Opposite them is another group of children with the eldest, seem to be narrating to a junior who is bent on catching sticklebacks what Mr. Dalton is doing. Dalton Collecting Marsh Fire Gas has an element of landscaping and the background at the extreme top right building structures probably cottages can be seen. The figures in the paint occupy the central horizontal space of the paint.

The texture of Dalton Collecting marsh Fire Gas can be said to be smooth and polished. The atmosphere of the Dalton Collecting Marsh Fire Gas is calm, thought-provoking and full of life as the different figures in the paint are engaged in different activities. The lighting is front-lit but difficult to identify the actual source. There are no shadows from the figures but only a reflection of the scientists and the little boy helping him catch the gas in the water.

Madox Brown was profoundly inspired by Lord Byron's poem, Manfred, and this led to his work The Jungfar in 1841 while he was in Paris. Through the brotherhood, Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood, he formed with other artists, he adopted bright colors and realistic style of painting from William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais. He was also influenced by the work of Holbein that he saw in Basel in 1845, and by Friedrich Overbeck and Peter Cornelius whom he met in Rome from 1845 to 1846.

His painting The Last of England was inspired by Pre raphaelite sculptor Thomas Woolner. He inspired Gabriel Rossetti who became his tutor and also a lifelong friend and admirer of his work. Other works by Madox Brown include The Reverend in 1837, Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1839, Dr primrose and his Daughters in 1840, Manfred on the Jungfrau between 1840 and 1861 and Out of Town among many others.