Arthur Hughes

Arthur Hughes (1832-1915) was one of the most important representatives of the Pre-Raphaelites, although he never became an official member. In the 1850s he was one of the most outstanding sympathizers of this movement and became known for his sensitive, delicate colours and drawings. Arthur Hughes came from the British middle class of London. At first, he attended the Tennisons Grammar School, but soon his artistic talent showed, so that from 1846, he changed to the School of Design, the school of the Belgian painter Alfred Stevens. At the age of 15, he enrolled in the "Antique School" of the Royal Academy. There he came into contact with Dante Gabriel Rossetti, other members of the Pre-Raphaelites such as John Everett Millais and Holman Hunt. This meeting was decisive for the development of his style. In his works, a heightened perception of the natural world is evident, coupled with an inwardness that is due to Rosetti's influence.