Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

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Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood

Location	United Kingdom
Influenced	Arts and Crafts movement, Symbolism

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) was a group of English painters, poets, and critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The group's intention was to reform art by rejecting what they considered the mechanistic approach first adopted by the Mannerist artists who succeeded Raphael. They believed that the classical poses and elegant compositions of Raphael in particular had been a corrupting influence on the academic teaching of art, hence the name "Pre-Raphaelite."

History

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in London in 1848. The founding members were William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. They were soon joined by William Michael Rossetti, James Collinson, Frederic George Stephens, and Thomas Woolner. The group sought to return to the abundant detail, intense colors, and complex compositions of Quattrocento Italian art.

Principles

The Brotherhood had four main principles:

1. To have genuine ideas to express;
2. To study Nature attentively, so as to know how to express them;
3. To sympathize with what is direct and serious and heartfelt in previous art, to the exclusion of what is conventional and self-parading and learned by rote;
4. Most indispensable of all, to produce thoroughly good pictures and statues.

Artistic Style

The Pre-Raphaelites were characterized by their use of bright colors, attention to detail, and complex compositions. They often depicted themes from literature, religion, and modern life. Their works were marked by a high degree of realism and a focus on nature.

Major Works

Some of the most famous works by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood include:

• The Awakening Conscience by William Holman Hunt
• Ophelia by John Everett Millais
• The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt
• Beata Beatrix by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Influence and Legacy

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood had a significant influence on the development of art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They inspired the Arts and Crafts movement and were a precursor to Symbolism. Their emphasis on nature and detail influenced many later artists and movements.

Related Pages

• William Holman Hunt
• John Everett Millais
• Dante Gabriel Rossetti
• Arts and Crafts movement
• Symbolism (arts)
• Quattrocento