Sometimes considered the first avant-garde art movement, the
Pre-Raphaelites rejected their era's dominant artistic theories for what
they saw as a more spiritual, naturalistic and intensely personal
approach. Fascinated by the romantic aspects of medieval
culture and the vivid, jewel-like colors of Quattrocento art, the
movement abhored the Classical poses and composition of Raphael and
those influenced by him—hence the group's name—and the influence of Sir
Joshua Reynolds.
Founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante
Gabriel Rossetti, the original Pre-Raphaelites were joined by William
Michael Rossetti, James Collinson, Frederic George Stephens and Thomas
Woolner to form a seven-member "brotherhood". Its influence on many
later British artists was extensive, and Rossetti's work is now seen as a
precursor of the wider European Symbolist movement. This book examines
the group's emergence, development, influence, and subsequent demise.
About
the Series:
Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Genre Series features:
a detailed introduction with approximately 35 photographs, plus a
timeline of the most important events (political, cultural, scientific,
etc.) that took place during the time period
a selection of the most important works of the epoch; each is
presented on a 2-page spread with a full-page image and, on the facing
page, a description/interpretation of the work and brief biography of
the artist as well as additional information such as a reference work,
portrait of the artist, and/or citations
About the author:
Heather Birchall is Curator of Historic Fine Art at the
Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester. She previously worked
at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and also at Tate Britain, where she
assisted in the organisation of major exhibitions including Millais
and How We Are: Photographing Britain (2008). A specialist in
Victorian art, she has contributed to books and written articles about
John Ruskin, the relationship between painting and photography, and
British watercolours.