William Holman Hunt (1827 - 1910)

Hunt was the driving force behind the adoption of new techniques. Born in 1827, the son of a London warehouse manager, he worked as a clerk before struggling for admittance to the Royal Academy Schools in 1844 where he met Millais. He exhibited from 1846 and sold his first entry at the Royal Academy in 1847.

Influenced by Ruskin's 'Modern Painters' and the poetry of Keats, Hunt exhibited 'The Eve of St. Agnes' at the Royal Academy in 1848, making it arguably the first Pre-Raphaelite painting. He met Rossetti and Brown that year, was also a member of the Cyclographic Society and in later life joined the Hogarth Club.

Hunt began to paint out of doors continuing this practice in 'Valentine rescuing Sylvia from Proteus' in 1850-1851. Praised by Ruskin, he found several patrons. He taught R. B. Martineau from 1852 and gave advice to Edward Lear on oil painting.

He went to the Holy Land in 1854; one of the resulting paintings, 'The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple' was extremely successful and brought him financial security and established his reputation.

Choosing not to marry his favourite model Annie Miller, he married Fanny Waugh instead, who unfortunately died less than a year later in Florence. Hunt himself outlived the other major Brothehood painters and was buried in St. Pauls Cathedral.