The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group formed in 1848 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his brother, John Everett Millais, and several other artists to reform art by rejecting the classical compositions of Renaissance artist Raphael, and by returning to the more complex, detailed compositions of earlier Italian and Flemish art. Hence, Pre-Raphaelite.

The Pre-Raphaelite style is marked by a strong emphasis on color brilliance, abundant amount of detail, and Romantic influence. In later years, the Brotherhood divided into two different thematic directions, with Millais and painters of common interest opting for a realistic approach, with Rosetti and his followiers maintaining their medievalist themes.