The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in 1848 by three Royal Academy students: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt, and John Everett Millais1. The group was formed in reaction against the Royal Academy's promotion of the Renaissance master Raphael and the artificial historical painting of the time 2. They sought to express a new moral seriousness and sincerity in their works, drawing inspiration from Italian art of the 14th and 15th centuries 1. The name "Pre-Raphaelite" expressed their admiration for the direct and uncomplicated depiction of nature typical of Italian painting before the High Renaissance, particularly before the time of Raphael 1.
The founding members were soon joined by James Collinson and Frederic George Stephens (both painters), William Michael Rossetti (a poet and Dante Gabriel Rossetti's brother), and Thomas Woolner (a sculptor and poet) 13. The Brotherhood was not a hereditary school, and its members were not related by blood; instead, they were united by their artistic vision and goals 7.
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood emphasized the importance of each artist's interpretation and agency, focusing on having genuine ideas to express, studying nature attentively, and rejecting the traditional techniques and compositions of the Royal Academy 14. Their works often featured religious, literary, or moralizing themes, and they were inspired by the simpler world of early Christian art from the 14th century 14.
Although the original Brotherhood only existed for about five years, the term "Pre-Raphaelite" persisted and was widely used in Britain for many years 3. The influence of the Pre-Raphaelites lived on in many artists and artistic movements, even after the Brotherhood disbanded 5.