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The Pre Raphaelite Art movement was not a very large movement. It was called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood or the PRB and was founded in 1849 by William Hunt, John Everett Millais, D.G. Rossetti, James Collinson, Thomas Woolner, William Michael Rossetti and to some extent Christina, Michael´s sister. Their intentions were to create art that was appropriate for their modern age. They did this by defying the rules of conventional art. So if the Royal Academy taught certain structures in composition and rich tone and shadow, the PRB delighted in painting just the opposite by using bright colors and evenly lit paintings.

The PRB also represented their figures with such precision as to almost make it photographic and they did this with all figures including those in the foreground which were traditionally left blurred.

Their subjects came from passages in Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Keats. As this group of painters worked and showed a lager group of painters began following in their footsteps and joining their group.

Women artists have greatly influenced the art world even when it was not seemly or correct for those of the feminine nature to be painters. Throughout time they have been influenced by many different things, but one artist from the 19th century caught my eye because of the grace and ethereal quality she used in most of her paintings. This artist was Maria Spartali. She was the youngest daughter of a Greek merchant, who later became Consul general in London. She became famous for her Pre Raphaelite work, and became the only artist who worked in this style to work in the United States.

The Pre-Raphaelites were known to be inspired by female figures or dreamy fictional figures that represented Dante, Boccaccio, or works by Shakespeare. Spartali was also known for her Italian landscapes. When I look at her work I feel this ethereal magical quality permeate through her work and feel like I could walk through her dream like scenes.