Pre-Raphaelites

Founded in 1848 as a secret society, the Pre-Raphaelites rejected classical ideals and the dominant artistic genre painting of their era for what they saw as a more spiritual, sincere, and naturalistic approach. Founded by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, they evolved into a seven-member -brotherhood- that included poets and critics as well as painters.Moving away from the classical compositions exemplified by Raphael (hence the group-s name), the Pre-Raphaelites rather turned to medieval culture and the jewel-like colors of Quattrocento art for inspiration. Their principal themes were initially religious, but also included subjects from literature and poetry, as exemplified by Sir John Everett Millais-s famous Ophelia, drawn from Shakespeare''s Hamlet. Inspired by the theories of John Ruskin, they were also committed to the close study of nature.This book presents key works from the Pre-Raphaelite group to introduce their reactionary principles