The Founding & Philosophy of the New

Pre-Raphaelite Movement

In London, 1848, a group of artists, writers and poets established a movement called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB). Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman-Hunt recorded their combined objective during their first meeting as follows: 1. To have genuine ideas to express. 2. To study nature attentively, so as to know how to express them. 3. To sympathise 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. And most indispensable of all, to produce thoroughly good pictures and statues. The PRB opposed the inauthenticity of the presiding Victorian style and substance prevalent in art at the time. They maintained that art should be about truth and the expression of truth above all things. To that end, they included more realistic images, and darker themes in their work, expressing fundamental human desires, emotions and aspirations. They derived great inspiration from Shakespeare and mythology; and communicated the sacred aspects of mundane human life in their paintings and poetry. This fresh approach was met with the disdain and criticism of the art establishment at the time. The Brotherhood were considered to be irrelevant, irreverent and subversive! The quality, composition and messages of their art were derided and it seemed for a while that they wouldn’t make any significant influence on the establishment. Indeed, they never imagined how influential their ideas would prove! Things turned around for the Brotherhood when they attracted the interest and patronage of the eminent art-critic, John Ruskin. He sympathised with their philosophy and recognised the sincerity of their cause. Despite his own doubts about Rossetti’s work ethics (and lack of ethics in general), he encouraged and promoted them. Undoubtedly, if it hadn’t been for his willingness to take a chance on them and stand up to their detractors, it’s likely they wouldn’t have become the paragon of Victorian artistry we consider them to be today. Despite the fact that the founding members were only united in this venture for 5 years, the movement they initiated continued for a further 50 years and has remained popular ever since. The PRB can be considered a “subculture”: a 'grass roots' development that expressed the needs, desires and soul-deep ideals of a small group of people. They were united in progressing the deep spiritual need for truth and authenticity in life, faithfully communicated in art. Their ideas captivated their audience; and while their audience took some time to be convinced by this radical new philosophy, the beauty, depth and poignancy of their art won over the Victorians. Alongside the PRB, a Sisterhood evolved. Christina Rossetti (sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti) and the wives, models and muses the artists worked with, created their own artwork in accordance with the principles of the Brotherhood. Independence, creativity and the expression of personal power were considered negative traits in Victorian women. But many of the women connected with the movement had unconventional lifestyles and had worked as prostitutes before they became the iconic muses of the PRB that we consider them today. Elizabeth Siddal is perhaps the most known and loved of all the muses of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. She was plucked from obscurity after being spotted by a member of the PRB while she worked in a hat shop. Her long red hair, pale skin and noble posture had all the brothers demanding she sit for them! She learnt to paint and write poetry, becoming an artist in her own right. But is still remembered predominantly for being Millais’ Ophelia; her portrayal of Ophelia almost killed her when the system for maintaining the warmth of the bath she was posing in failed. The cold went to her chest and she was dangerously ill, but still went on to sit for Hunt and Rossetti! She had a toxic relationship with Rossetti and ended up with a serious drug problem and crippling depression. She struggled with her demons but Rossetti’s infidelity and the limitations and judgements heaped on Victorian women obstructed her recovery. By Victorian standards, her bohemian lifestyle meant she was considered disreputable and her opportunities were scant. Women were brought up to be dependent on men but Rossetti didn’t have a dependable bone in his body. She died tragically of a deliberate laudanum overdose, aged only 32. Her suicide note was destroyed by The Brotherhood ostensibly to spare the family’s grief, but equally, to spare the Brotherhood disgrace. In my opinion, it’s the women of the movement who were the true radicals; they weren’t just standing against the established philosophy of art at the time, they also stood against the oppression of women and the traditions of misogyny by living unconventional lives. Their stories, art and poetry demonstrate the insurmountable inequality of the time and I like to think they contributed to the empowerment of the women that came after them. I’m passionately inspired by the philosophy of the PRB, but when I’m working on my art, it’s the Sisterhood I feel most encouraged by! At the time of writing, I’m 47 years old. It’s shocking to realise that I have enjoyed 15 extra years on this planet compared to Lizzie Siddal. But everyday, I appreciate my freedom to enjoy a bohemian lifestyle without judgement and condemnation; I appreciate the freedom to pursue my work and art; I appreciate my independence; I appreciate the opportunity to share my work with others through the power of the internet; and I appreciate the inspiration I derive from Lizzie’s peerless contribution to art. Inspired by Lizzie, I founded the New Pre- Raphaelite Movement in 2011 as a collaborative art project intended to promote the ideals & aesthetics of the original PRB. With the support and creative contribution of a group of artists, designers, writers and bohemians, the project proved to be inspirational for all concerned! You can join the New Pre-Raphaelite Facebook page here… and enjoy daily artwork delivered to your newsfeed! ALM (Maya) 2021 New Pre-Raphaelite Movement Facebook Page The Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood Kirsty Stonall Walker Facebook Page “Thank You, Lizzie Siddal” by Stephanie Chatfield “Lizzie Siddal: Love & Hate” by Stephanie Chatfield Pre-Raphaelite Girl Gang Gallery