KS3 Art and Design | The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Movement

Art and Design Quiz - The Pre-Raphaelites (Questions)

Meet the Pre-Raphaelites and spot what makes their Victorian art stand out. Learn about stories, symbolism and technique, then test your eye in the quiz.

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Fascinating Fact:

Pre-Raphaelite paintings are known for strong colour, careful observation, and fine detail in nature. Flowers, plants, and textures were often painted with close attention.

In KS3 Art and Design, the Pre-Raphaelites are studied as artists who challenged the popular academic style of their time. They looked back to earlier art for inspiration, used symbolism to add meaning, and often chose subjects from literature, myths, religion, and history.

Key Terms

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: A group of British artists formed in 1848 who wanted art to feel more honest, detailed, and inspired by earlier painting.
Symbolism: Using objects, colours, or poses to suggest ideas or messages beyond what is shown.
Narrative: Artwork that tells a story, often based on a poem, legend, or historical moment.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Who were the Pre-Raphaelites?

The Pre-Raphaelites were a group of British artists who began working together in 1848 and aimed to create art with stronger storytelling, clearer detail, and more direct observation than the standard style taught in art schools.

Why are the Pre-Raphaelites called “Pre-Raphaelite”?

They are called “Pre-Raphaelite” because they admired art from before the painter Raphael and believed earlier artists showed more sincerity and careful detail than later, more formulaic approaches.

What themes did Pre-Raphaelite artists use in their work?

Pre-Raphaelite artists often used themes from literature, Shakespeare, medieval legends, the Bible, and mythology, and they frequently added symbols to suggest emotions, morality, or hidden meanings.

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How much do you understand the Pre-Raphaelite movement? Try this quiz to test your knowledge.

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How many members formed the original Brotherhood of Pre-Raphaelites?

[ ]	17
[ ]	7
[ ]	27
[ ]	70

The Pre-Raphaelites made a coded announcement of their new movement and published a periodical called what?

[ ]	The Bug
[ ]	The Bacteria
[ ]	The Germ
[ ]	The Illness

Why did the Brotherhood use the initials PRB?

[ ]	To save them having to say Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
[ ]	Because it looked good on stationery
[ ]	Because these were some of the letters in their first names
[ ]	To keep the society secret

Which of the following was not one of the PRB's rules?

[ ]	To use the society's secret knock when meeting
[ ]	To have genuine ideas to express
[ ]	To study nature attentively, so as to know how to express it
[ ]	To sympathise with what is direct and serious

Which art movement influenced the Pre-Raphaelites?

[ ]	The Cubists
[ ]	The Surrealists
[ ]	The Romantics
[ ]	The Impressionists

How did the Brotherhood sign their works?

[ ]	With a false name to confuse the Royal Academy
[ ]	With only their surname
[ ]	With their name and the initials PRB
[ ]	With their initials and 'Proud Pre-Raphealite'

Which author called this PRB painting 'blasphemous'?

[ ]	William Shakespeare
[ ]	Edgar Allen Poe
[ ]	Mary Shelley
[ ]	Charles Dickens

Whose death does this painting portray?

[ ]	King John
[ ]	King Arthur
[ ]	King George III
[ ]	King Richard the Lionheart

The model for this painting by Rossetti was the wife of William Morris. What is the title of the painting?

[ ]	The Pondering
[ ]	The Wonderment
[ ]	The Thoughtful Day
[ ]	The Day Dream

10.

This famous painting by Millais was later used as part of an advertising campaign for which product?

[ ]	Johnson's shampoo
[ ]	Persil washing powder
[ ]	Terry's chocolate orange
[ ]	Pears Soap

Art and Design Quiz - The Pre-Raphaelites (Answers)

How many members formed the original Brotherhood of Pre-Raphaelites?

[ ]	17
[x]	7
[ ]	27
[ ]	70

William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti were the three founders, joined later by William Michael Rossetti, Frederic George Stephens, Thomas Woolner and James Collinson, who was the painter of this piece, 'The Holy Family'

The Pre-Raphaelites made a coded announcement of their new movement and published a periodical called what?

[ ]	The Bug
[ ]	The Bacteria
[x]	The Germ
[ ]	The Illness

The Germ was not a success, only surviving for four issues between January and April 1850. This is an illustration by Holman Hunt to Thomas Woolner's poem 'My Beautiful Lady' and it was pubished in the first issue of The Germ

Why did the Brotherhood use the initials PRB?

[ ]	To save them having to say Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
[ ]	Because it looked good on stationery
[ ]	Because these were some of the letters in their first names
[x]	To keep the society secret

The PRB intended to keep the existence of the Brotherhood secret from members of the Royal Academy. This is an engraving of a Royal Academy Summer Exhibition at its original home in Somerset House in London

Which of the following was not one of the PRB's rules?

[x]	To use the society's secret knock when meeting
[ ]	To have genuine ideas to express
[ ]	To study nature attentively, so as to know how to express it
[ ]	To sympathise with what is direct and serious

The fourth and most important rule was to produce thoroughly good pictures and statues, of which this painting 'Fair Rosamund' by Arthur Hughes is an example

Which art movement influenced the Pre-Raphaelites?

[ ]	The Cubists
[ ]	The Surrealists
[x]	The Romantics
[ ]	The Impressionists

Like the Romantics, the Brotherhood wished to emphasise the personal responsibility of individual artists to determine their own ideas and methods of depiction. This piece is 'Wanderer above the Sea of Fog' by the Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich

How did the Brotherhood sign their works?

[ ]	With a false name to confuse the Royal Academy
[ ]	With only their surname
[x]	With their name and the initials PRB
[ ]	With their initials and 'Proud Pre-Raphealite'

You can see the initials PRB on the leg of the stool in this painting 'Isabella' by Millais

Which author called this PRB painting 'blasphemous'?

[ ]	William Shakespeare
[ ]	Edgar Allen Poe
[ ]	Mary Shelley
[x]	Charles Dickens

The picture is of Christ as a child with His parents. Millais used his sister-in-law as the model for Mary, and Charles Dickens considered her to be ugly!

Whose death does this painting portray?

[ ]	King John
[x]	King Arthur
[ ]	King George III
[ ]	King Richard the Lionheart

James Archer produced this painting as part of a series based on the legends of King Arthur