The Last of England

This Pre-Raphaelite painting, by Ford Madox Brown, depicting an emigrating couple (1855) was one of my favourite paintings in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Imagine my surprise to see it on display in The Barber Institute, part of Birmingham University.

Ever since I first moved to Birmingham in 1970, I'd intended to go to The Barber Institute. It's a stunning 1930s building with one of the best small collections of fine art, painting and sculpture. 

I'd just never got round to it. 

I was seriously impressed and realised what I'd been missing. I will certainly go back, particularly now I know that you can park close to the gallery for free at the weekend.

The reason this painting is in the Blue Gallery here is that the BMAG is closed at the moment. Mystery solved.

I was supposed to be going out for the day with a friend but the weather forecast was so awful we looked for something indoors, and then went for  lunch at a seriously fabulous Michelin star restaurant.

The weather was horrendous but it didn't matter a jot for once.