The Pre-Raphaelites and mid-Victorian art

The era of Darwin, Tennyson, Dickens, labor laws, the Pre-Raphaelites and the Arts and Crafts movement.

c. 1848 - 1870

Beginner's guide

The Pre-Raphaelites and the Aesthetic movement were each, in their own way, reacting to the consequences of the industrial revolution.

videos + essays

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William Morris, The Green Dining Room
William Morris, The Green Dining Room

The Green Dining Room's harmonious color-scheme, craftsmanship, and medieval vibe shows Morris’s design style at its finest.

Sir John Everett Millais, <em>Isabella</em>
Sir John Everett Millais, Isabella

The first Pre-Raphaelite painting by Sir John Everett Millais.

John Everett Millais, <em>Spring (Apple Blossoms)</em>
John Everett Millais, Spring (Apple Blossoms)

Millais's wife referred to this stunning painting as "full of beauty and without subject."

Ford Madox Brown, <em>Work</em>
Ford Madox Brown, Work

Muscles, morals, and mongrels help to illustrate the stratification of social class in Victorian England.

Sir Edward Burne-Jones, stained glass windows at Birmingham Cathedral
Sir Edward Burne-Jones, stained glass windows at Birmingham Cathedral

Stained glass was an important medium for Burne-Jones, and William Morris was his ideal partner.

Ford Madox Brown, <em>The Last of England</em>
Ford Madox Brown, The Last of England

The Last of England is a poignant reminder of the journey made by millions of people during the 19th century.

William Holman Hunt, <em>The Scapegoat</em>
William Holman Hunt, The Scapegoat

In The Scapegoat, Hunt created one of the most unusual paintings of the Victorian period.

John Everett Millais, <em>Bubbles</em>
John Everett Millais, Bubbles

Victorian art is often dismissed as overly sentimental and nowhere is this more apparent than in Bubbles.

William Holman Hunt, <em>The Shadow of Death</em>
William Holman Hunt, The Shadow of Death

The Shadow of Death is an inspired representation of a youthful Christ who cannot escape his destiny.

William Morris, useful beauty in the home
William Morris, useful beauty in the home

Discover the radical politics of interior design in the Arts & Crafts movement.

Anna Atkins and the cyanotype process
Anna Atkins and the cyanotype process

Although today Atkins’s prints are sold and viewed as art, they were originally made as botanical illustrations.

William Powell Frith, <em>Derby Day</em>
William Powell Frith, Derby Day

Everyone wanted to have a look at the cast of characters Frith created—their variety provides the modern viewer with a fascinating glimpse into Victorian life.

Selected Contributors