The Pre-Raphaelites Brotherhood: A Secret Society

In 1848, speaking to some contemporary artists, Millais called Raphael's style, "mannered, exaggerated and over-dramatic." The students replied, "Then you are Pre-Raphaelite."

Rossetti suggested "Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood" (PRB) as a name for their group. The brotherhood signed their paintings "P. R. B." along with other insignia and swore to secrecy.

The Pre-Raphaelites had specific ideas in mind: They painted serious subjects in the light of day and as realistically as possible. They studied nature closely. This ended the practice of painting by rote. Today, it's called plein-aire painting.

Born in London on April 2, 1827, William Holman Hunt, an English painter, entered the Royal Academy Art School and rebelled against the founder, Sir Joshua Reynolds. Along with Rossetti and Milais he founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and was the one to remain comitted to the ideals they represented. When Holman painted, it was attention to detail, vivid color and elaborate symbolism that gained him recognition. He used his natural instinct for marketing to ensure the public visibility and appeal of his work.

In the 1850's Hunt traveled to the Holy Land, so he could paint the religious works he loved with accurate topographical and ethnographical realism. He hoped to make the history and teachings of Jesus Christ available through his art. He produced The Scapegoat, The Finding of the Savior in the Temple and The Shadow of Death along with many landscapes of the region. He also painted many works based on poems like Isabella, The Lady of Shalott and The Eve of Saint Agnes.

Hunt built a house in Jerusalem, but returned to Englad later in life where he died on September 7, 1910.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, born May 12, 1828, was a multi-talented artist. His accomplishments included English Poet, illustrator, painter and translator. He illustrated his own poems and those of his sister, Christina Rosseti, as well. He shared the family spotlight with his siblings Christina, a celebrated poet in her own right; his brother William Michael Rossetti and another sister, Maria Francesca Rossetti, an accomplished author.

As a co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), he served as an inspiration for a second generation of PRB artists and writers which included William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones. Rossetti's art conveyed sensuality and medieval revivalism. The poet, John Keats, along with the European Symbolists influenced his early poetry. 

Sensuality and medieval revivalism flowed throughout his art. Rossetti's interest was always in the Medieval, especially Medieval Italian art and peotry. He adopted the stylistic characteristics of the early Italians.