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The Pre-Raphaelite art movement was conceived by a secret society of young artists studying at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1848. They focused their attention upon creating clear, sharp and realistic depictions of religious and mythological scenes, particularly those highlighting beautiful and famous women. Their style was grandiose, imaginative yet sincere.
The Pre-Raphaelites aimed to revive the style of Italian painters in the Quattrocento period (early Renaissance), as opposed to the then influential Mannerist style (which had been popular in the later Renaissance). The Pre-Raphaelites believed that this style corrupted the academic teaching of art, particularly the work of Raphael (a Renaissance master), and so the name Pre-Raphaelite was conceived.
Despite the Brotherhood parting ways in the early 1850s, the style remained popular and influential well into the later 19th century, and remains a point of aesthetic interest today.