The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) began in 1848 by three skilled art students of the London’s Royal Academy of Arts, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. They became the emerging “rebels” to dismiss the academically defined values of paintings, particularly those that the academy promoted for being very Raphael-like; hence their name reflects their wishes to retrieve the primitive styles prior to Raphael. Believing in the notion of “art for art’s sake”, the Pre-Raphaelites drew mostly serious subjects with maximum realism while appreciating symbolisms in the subject matter, composition, and the general thematic coherence. Popular themes were love and death extracted from both Classical and medieval poetry and literature.
One of its founders, Rossetti, contributed significantly to the expressive display of naturalistic and realistic subjects. The contemporary artists, including Sir Edward Burne-Jones, picked up on these beliefs and generated them into their own paintings. Prominently, as seen in this curation, the Pre-Raphaelites engaged with the biblical narratives as well as the medieval romances to allure the viewers to their nostalgia toward the simplicity and authenticity of subject matter and composition.
As you encounter the following artworks in this PRB curation, take notice of the subject’s sense of realism that generates from their facial and bodily narratives while simultaneously and wholly observing the flatness of perspective and the classical conventions of symmetry and color.
One of its founders, Rossetti, contributed significantly to the expressive display of naturalistic and realistic subjects. The contemporary artists, including Sir Edward Burne-Jones, picked up on these beliefs and generated them into their own paintings. Prominently, as seen in this curation, the Pre-Raphaelites engaged with the biblical narratives as well as the medieval romances to allure the viewers to their nostalgia toward the simplicity and authenticity of subject matter and composition.
As you encounter the following artworks in this PRB curation, take notice of the subject’s sense of realism that generates from their facial and bodily narratives while simultaneously and wholly observing the flatness of perspective and the classical conventions of symmetry and color.
Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Le Chant d’Amour, 1868, oil on canvas (in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, 47.26)
The majority of Burne-Jones’ paintings and decorative industrial designs such as ecclesiastical stained glass vividly delights in the theme of romantic mysticism placed in medieval settings. Generally, he enjoyed depicting scenes from medieval chivalry that often featured an emotionally troubled knight, a curiously crestfallen woman, and a contemplative spiritual or mythological angel. Interestingly, Burne-Jones was quite fascinated in depicting tragic female heroines or victims, which was a popular representation of women in Pre-Raphaelite art back in the Victorian era.
In Le Chant d’Amour, the primary colors (red, yellow, blue, and green) bring vitality and coherence to the overall compositional balance. The three foreground figures form a pyramid-like structure that establishes symmetry across the canvas as well. Furthermore, the tulips connect to the idea of ardent love and seduction, the knight’s bare feet to the sign of submission, and the portative organ to the site of love and music making.
The majority of Burne-Jones’ paintings and decorative industrial designs such as ecclesiastical stained glass vividly delights in the theme of romantic mysticism placed in medieval settings. Generally, he enjoyed depicting scenes from medieval chivalry that often featured an emotionally troubled knight, a curiously crestfallen woman, and a contemplative spiritual or mythological angel. Interestingly, Burne-Jones was quite fascinated in depicting tragic female heroines or victims, which was a popular representation of women in Pre-Raphaelite art back in the Victorian era.
In Le Chant d’Amour, the primary colors (red, yellow, blue, and green) bring vitality and coherence to the overall compositional balance. The three foreground figures form a pyramid-like structure that establishes symmetry across the canvas as well. Furthermore, the tulips connect to the idea of ardent love and seduction, the knight’s bare feet to the sign of submission, and the portative organ to the site of love and music making.
Ford Madox Brown, The Convalescent (A Portrait of the Artist's Wife), 1872, pastel (in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, 10.46)
Brown’s painting portrait of Emma Hill, his wife since 1853, captures her bedridden moment. After their marriage, her problem with alcoholism affected her health and appearance to the point of needing long time recovery. Brown commented, “Now that she is lying in bed thinned with the fever she looks very pictorial and young as ever again.” In the painting, she gently holds the flowers in her hands, which Brown intentionally used to symbolize the reflection of life’s fragility. Similar to the female portraits released by contemporary Pre-Raphaelites (i.e. Marie Spartali Stillman’s Self Portrait (1871), Emma Sandy’s Lady in a Yellow Dress (1870), and Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Proserpine (1882)), The Convalescent enhances the women’s romantic mysticism as well as the adoration of their beauty through densely obscure emotions, particularly in the eyes and the mouth.
Brown’s painting portrait of Emma Hill, his wife since 1853, captures her bedridden moment. After their marriage, her problem with alcoholism affected her health and appearance to the point of needing long time recovery. Brown commented, “Now that she is lying in bed thinned with the fever she looks very pictorial and young as ever again.” In the painting, she gently holds the flowers in her hands, which Brown intentionally used to symbolize the reflection of life’s fragility. Similar to the female portraits released by contemporary Pre-Raphaelites (i.e. Marie Spartali Stillman’s Self Portrait (1871), Emma Sandy’s Lady in a Yellow Dress (1870), and Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Proserpine (1882)), The Convalescent enhances the women’s romantic mysticism as well as the adoration of their beauty through densely obscure emotions, particularly in the eyes and the mouth.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Beata Beatrix, 1880, oil on canvas (in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, England.)
Rossetti depicts the mournful death of his wife, Elizabeth Siddall (1829-1862), in his reference to the fictional narrative taken from Dante’s poem, Vita Nuova. As one of the main founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Rossetti aspired his contemporary artists to include spiritual figures in paintings to invoke a spiritual sensation to the viewers. The symbolic figures and colors highlight Rossetti’s and many other Romantic painters’ favoring of emotions related to love narratives. The red dove symbolizes both the Holy Spirit and the messenger of love while the white poppies represent laudanum, the cause of (Siddall’s) death. In the middle-ground, Dante (right) looks at Love (left) “portrayed as an angel” who holds a “flickering flame of Beatrice’s life.” In the midst of the blurred contours, hazy colors, and obscure emotions, Rossetti uses contrasting brightness as well as the compositional and spatial symmetry to enhance the spiritually transcendent quality of love and death.
Rossetti depicts the mournful death of his wife, Elizabeth Siddall (1829-1862), in his reference to the fictional narrative taken from Dante’s poem, Vita Nuova. As one of the main founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Rossetti aspired his contemporary artists to include spiritual figures in paintings to invoke a spiritual sensation to the viewers. The symbolic figures and colors highlight Rossetti’s and many other Romantic painters’ favoring of emotions related to love narratives. The red dove symbolizes both the Holy Spirit and the messenger of love while the white poppies represent laudanum, the cause of (Siddall’s) death. In the middle-ground, Dante (right) looks at Love (left) “portrayed as an angel” who holds a “flickering flame of Beatrice’s life.” In the midst of the blurred contours, hazy colors, and obscure emotions, Rossetti uses contrasting brightness as well as the compositional and spatial symmetry to enhance the spiritually transcendent quality of love and death.
Simeon Solomon, Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene, 1864, watercolor on paper (in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, England.)
Simeon Solomon was a British Jew who partook in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood during his enrollment in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The majority of his artworks depict biblical scenes from the Hebrew Bible and genre paintings based on Jewish lifestyles and rituals. Solomon was drawn to Rossetti and Burne-Jones’ apprehension of the Classical literature and poetry. However, his contemporary artists dismissed him for his uncontained public display of sexual disturbances. Generally, the color scheme is limited and lacks vibrancy; however, Solomon skillfully brings attention to Erinna and the surrounding flower petals using blush-red color, which implies the feminine and romantic sensation. The pair of doves seated above and behind Sappho and Erinna and the resting instrument to the side emphasize the classical iconography of love.
Simeon Solomon was a British Jew who partook in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood during his enrollment in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The majority of his artworks depict biblical scenes from the Hebrew Bible and genre paintings based on Jewish lifestyles and rituals. Solomon was drawn to Rossetti and Burne-Jones’ apprehension of the Classical literature and poetry. However, his contemporary artists dismissed him for his uncontained public display of sexual disturbances. Generally, the color scheme is limited and lacks vibrancy; however, Solomon skillfully brings attention to Erinna and the surrounding flower petals using blush-red color, which implies the feminine and romantic sensation. The pair of doves seated above and behind Sappho and Erinna and the resting instrument to the side emphasize the classical iconography of love.
Marcus Stone, In Love, 1888, oil on canvas (in Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, England.)
Marcus Stone, a British painter, and illustrator depicted literary scenes and sentimental portraits that resembled the fundamentals of the PBA. The vibrant details and colors accentuate the primacy of naturalism and realism. The distinction between foreground, middleground, and background using both nature (grass, trees, and pond) and man-made objects (sculpture, table, chairs, and fence) promotes such values of reviving most naturalistic depictions of surroundings. Symbolically and literally, the bright red apples on the table, a bundle of pink flowers, and the brilliant white dress with a sun hat create an aura of sensuous beauty and romance. The man’s eyes are fixated on the beautiful woman who appears to display either indifference or amusement toward the man’s love motive. Interestingly, a marble statue of a cupid, located in the center middle ground, stands with exaggerated contrapposto (a classic pose characterized in the Italian Renaissance) presumably after shooting his arrow at the man.
Marcus Stone, a British painter, and illustrator depicted literary scenes and sentimental portraits that resembled the fundamentals of the PBA. The vibrant details and colors accentuate the primacy of naturalism and realism. The distinction between foreground, middleground, and background using both nature (grass, trees, and pond) and man-made objects (sculpture, table, chairs, and fence) promotes such values of reviving most naturalistic depictions of surroundings. Symbolically and literally, the bright red apples on the table, a bundle of pink flowers, and the brilliant white dress with a sun hat create an aura of sensuous beauty and romance. The man’s eyes are fixated on the beautiful woman who appears to display either indifference or amusement toward the man’s love motive. Interestingly, a marble statue of a cupid, located in the center middle ground, stands with exaggerated contrapposto (a classic pose characterized in the Italian Renaissance) presumably after shooting his arrow at the man.
Alexander Munro, Paolo and Francesca, 1852, Marble 66 x 67.5 x 53 cm (in Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, Birmingham.)
In 1852, a British sculptor, Alexander Munro, epitomized the Pre-Raphaelite sculpture with Paolo and Francesca. It captures the tragic-love scene from the medieval poet, Dante’s famous divine comedy, Inferno. Francesca falls in love with her brother-in-law, Paolo, which here shows the moment they are drawn to their first kiss. The sentimental bodily gesture portrayed in Paolo’s love for Francesca expresses Munro’s genuine thought of realism in terms of emotions. In spite of the romantic vibe conveyed here, at the same time there is a sense of melancholy, particularly in Francesca’s eyes. Ultimately, angered by their adulterous love affair, her husband kills them both. The central theme of love and death that became pertinent to the movement’s style influenced sculptors like Munro, who then influenced other contemporary artists to do the same. Three years later, Dante Gabriel Rossetti replicates this scene of tragic lovers in the form of watercolor on paper.
In 1852, a British sculptor, Alexander Munro, epitomized the Pre-Raphaelite sculpture with Paolo and Francesca. It captures the tragic-love scene from the medieval poet, Dante’s famous divine comedy, Inferno. Francesca falls in love with her brother-in-law, Paolo, which here shows the moment they are drawn to their first kiss. The sentimental bodily gesture portrayed in Paolo’s love for Francesca expresses Munro’s genuine thought of realism in terms of emotions. In spite of the romantic vibe conveyed here, at the same time there is a sense of melancholy, particularly in Francesca’s eyes. Ultimately, angered by their adulterous love affair, her husband kills them both. The central theme of love and death that became pertinent to the movement’s style influenced sculptors like Munro, who then influenced other contemporary artists to do the same. Three years later, Dante Gabriel Rossetti replicates this scene of tragic lovers in the form of watercolor on paper.
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