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'The Lady of Shalott' (1888) -

Look at this painting. What do you see? It's actually a visual rendition of a poem, in fact one composed by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson called 'The Lady of Shalott.' It was painted by John William Waterhouse (1849–1917), a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Many years later, this image would help influence the creation of one of the biggest and most successful movie trilogies in cinema history. Read on!

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Raphael (1483–1520) -

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) was a group of British artists born out of a reaction against what they conceived to be the unimaginative and artificial historical painting of the Royal Academy. The movement was named after the idea that artists working before Italian painter Raphael (1483–1520) were the true innovators of committing the world around them to a flat surface.

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Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882) -

English painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti co-founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848. He is regarded as one of the preeminent figures of the movement.

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William Holman Hunt (1827–1910) -

William Holman Hunt was another co-founder of the movement. His work is equally distinguished for its incredible attention to detail, vivid color, and elaborate medieval symbolism.

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John Everett Millais (1829–1896) -

Together with Rossetti and Hunt, John Everett Millais can be regarded as the third co-founding member of the PRB. It's his 'Ophelia' (1851–52) that most people recognize from the movement.

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'Ophelia' (1851–52) -

Painted by John Everett Millais, 'Ophelia' is one of the most recognized works of art from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and one of the most important created in the mid-19th-century. It depicts Ophelia, a character from William Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet,' singing before she drowns in a river in Denmark.

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'Proserpine' (1882) -

Rossetti's art was celebrated for its sensuality and its medieval revivalism. Indeed, he believed medieval art was the symbol of purity and freedom. Rossetti's work is also characterized by his fascination for red hair.

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J.R.R Tolkien (1892–1973) -

Medieval literature and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it were central to the subject matter of the PRB, particularly King Arthur. Author J.R.R Tolkien drew inspiration from Arthurian legends to write 'The Hobbit' and the 'Lord of the Rings' books.

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003) -

In turn, the concept artist working on filmmaker Peter Jackson's trilogy, English illustrator Alan Lee, was heavily influenced by the paintings produced by the PRB, including the aforementioned 'The Lady of Shalott.'

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003) -

Liv Tyler's Arwen is styled according to several of Rossetti's paintings while Viggo Mortensen's fearless warrior  Aragorn is in keeping with the legend of the Knights of the Round Table.

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'The Attainment: The Vision of the Holy Grail to Sir Galahad, Sir Bors and Sir Percival' (1895-96) -

A member of the PRB, artist Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898) is responsible for 'The Attainment: The Vision of the Holy Grail to Sir Galahad, Sir Bors and Sir Percival.' But did you know that it's currently owned by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page?

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Led Zeppelin -

Led Zeppelin owe more than a passing nod to Tolkien's imagery in songs like 'Misty Mountain Hop' and 'The Battle of Evermore.' Listen carefully and you can envisage locations and characters referred to in 'The Lord of the Rings.'

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'Pandora' (1871) -

Jimmy Page is also a fan of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who painted 'Pandora' in 1871. Rossetti's model is a woman named Jane Morris.

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Elizabeth Siddal (1829–1862) -

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood worked with a select group of muses, the most famous of which is Elizabeth Siddal, whose face became the most recognized image of the movement. Along with Jane Morris, Fanny Cornforth, Kate Dolan, Alexa Wilding, and Effie Gray, these women were the Pre-Raphaelite models of the day, chosen for their pale complexion and flaming ocher hair.

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Susie Cave -

When Susie Cave (pictured) founded her fashion label The Vampire's Wife, she sought inspiration for her collections by revisiting the Pre-Raphaelite look modeled by Elizabeth Siddal et al.

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Fashion design -

Cave, the wife of poet and musician Nick Cave, is one of a number of fashion designers who have turned to the PRB for ideas. Others include John Galliano and the late Alexander McQueen.

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'The Irish Girl' (1860) -

'The Irish Girl' by Ford Madox Brown (1821–1893) mirrors a look favored by some fashion designers seeking to emulate the influences and visual references of the PRB.

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Keira Knightley -

Susie Cave has previously used actress Keira Knightley in fashion campaigns to promote The Vampire's Wife.

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'Vanity' (1907) -

'Vanity' by Frank Cadogan Cowper (1877–1958) espouses beauty and shows an unidentified woman wearing a mixture of historical and contemporary clothing.

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Lily Cole -

British model Lily Cole epitomizes the modern Pre-Raphaelite woman, and bears as striking resemblance to the woman depicted in 'Vanity.'

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'Portia' (1886) -

And speaking of resemblances, look closely at John Everett Millais' 'Portia.' It depicts model Kate Dolan in the costume worn by actress Ellen Terry (1847–1928) in the role of Portia in Shakespeare’s play 'The Merchant of Venice.' Who does she remind you of?

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Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997) -

Lady Diana was certainly never considered as representative of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. But her uncanny likeness to Kate Dolan is striking, especially as the late princess is also pictured in red. Semantics can sometimes play an unconscious role in promoting the PRB.

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'A Christmas Carol' (1867) -

Rossetti's 'A Christmas Carol' features a red-headed musician in full song.

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Florence Welch -

Dressed regularly by Susie Cave is red-headed English singer-songwriter Florence Welch of indie rock band Florence and the Machine.

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'Vertigo' (1958) -

Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' was noted for its deeply saturated print. Pre-Raphaelite works depend on their vibrant use of color. The cinematographer on 'Vertigo' was Robert Burks, who worked extensively with Hitchcock.

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'The Bower Meadow' (1872) -

Rossetti's 'The Bower Meadow' features two women whose hair is bundled and tied with a spiral hair pin in much the same way as Kim Novak's hair is styled in 'Vertigo.' And what about the film's attempted suicide scene in which Madeline (Novak) jumps into the bay? It's an image that parallels Millais' 'Ophelia.'

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'Ophelia' updated -

Pictured: Helen Morton of the Three Bugs Fringe Theatre company performs Ophelia drowning in the Apex Hotel swimming pool during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2009. The play was inspired by Millais' 1852 painting.

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Rita Hayworth (1918–1987) -

Rita Hayworth was one of Hollywood's most famous redheads and photographed numerous times for publicity purposes, sometimes with flowers in her hair. The PRB would have approved.

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'Vanity' (1910) -

This John William Waterhouse painting, also called 'Vanity,' shows a beautiful woman with flowers in her hair peering into a mirror. Waterhouse (1849–1917) was a later convert to the PRB.

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'The Soul of the Rose' (1908) -

Flowers play an important role in works produced by the PRB. Fragrant, fresh, and feminine, colorful blooms were often incorporated into paintings, such as in this piece by John William Waterhouse. The artist also took inspiration from the literature of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

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Julia Roberts -

It's perhaps no surprise then that auburn -haired Julia Roberts is regularly called upon to promote fine perfumes. Again, is semantics at play, or do campaigns consciously draw on the imagery produced by a group of English artists over 170 years ago?

Sources: (Sotheby's) (Vogue) (Royal Academy of Arts) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood) (John William Waterhouse) 

See also: The world's most beautiful redhead celebrities

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