Arthur Hughes (1832-1915)

Arthur Hughes was born in London and studied to become a painter at the Royal Academy Schools. There he met Rossetti, Millais and Holman Hunt, and joined them in making the mural decoration of the Oxford Union. Next to Madox Brown, Arthur Hughes was the most important Pre Raphaelite outside of the Brotherhood.

As well as being a painter, Hughes was a very successful illustrator, drawing many pictures for the illustrated magazines and books that were becoming popular at the end of the 19th century.

Where many Pre Raphaelite pictures on the theme of love are tragic, passionate and guilt ridden, the mood of Hughes' pictures is always sad, wistful and tender. Also characteristic of Hughes was his method of using the landscape setting to heighten and intensify the emotional situation of the figures.