Pre-Raphaelite Curls

Tumbling locks of hair, a soulful, often tragic gaze into the distance, and a loose, glittering gown are but a few of the characteristics of the women immortalised in Pre-Raphaelite paintings.

The Pre-Raphaelite artists were inspired by medieval ballads about star-crossed lovers to the simple beauty of a flower. The world seen through their eyes was full of stories and full of wonders. They are perhaps most famous for their pictures of beautiful women whom Dante Gabriel Rossetti called 'stunners'.

Some of these women became Pre-Raphaelite painters' wives and lovers, and were often idealised as extremely beautiful figures with supernatural energies. Some chose their own styles, clothing and accessories, and became fashion icons of their day.

They cultivated their own images, and their portraits show conscious participation in the development of Pre-Raphaelite visual culture. Some of them were also artists and designers in their own right.