The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (or PRB) was a 19th century group of rebellious young artists who, disillusioned with the artistic climate of their day, sought to rediscover the purity of art by creating an entirely new artistic style that drew upon the middle ages, the bible, classical mythology and nature for inspiration, emulating the work of the great Italian artists before Raphael (hence their name: pre-Raphaelite). 

The PRB only lasted for five or so years, but it served to inspire many other painters such as Lawrence Alma-Tadema and John William Waterhouse throughout the rest of the 19th century and into the early 20th century.