William Holman Hunt English painter Date of Birth: 02.04.1827 Country: Great Britain

William Holman Hunt - A Biography

William Holman Hunt was an English painter and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Born as William Hobman Hunt, he later changed the second part of his name, and towards the end of his life, it merged with his surname to become Holman-Hunt. He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts, where he met Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and together they founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Initially, Hunt's paintings were not particularly popular, but he later gained recognition. After spending two years (1854-1855) in the East, he painted one of his most famous works, "The Light of the World," which sparked heated debates in the art criticism community. Holman Hunt was the only member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who remained faithful to their doctrine and preserved their painting ideals until his death. However, he eventually had to give up painting due to his deteriorating eyesight, and his last painting, "The Lady of Shalott," was completed with the assistance of Edward Hughes.

Hunt also authored autobiographies titled "Pre-Raphaelitism" and "Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood," which aimed to provide accurate information about the origins of the Brotherhood and its members. Hunt was married twice. After an unsuccessful engagement with his model Annie Miller, he married Fanny Waugh, who later served as the model for Isabella. Fanny died during childbirth in Italy and was buried at the English Cemetery in Florence next to the grave of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Hunt's second wife, Edith, was Fanny's sister. In those times, it was illegal in England to marry the sister of a deceased wife, so Hunt had to go abroad to marry Edith. This marriage led to a serious rift with the rest of his family, especially with his former Pre-Raphaelite colleague Thomas Woolner, who was married to Fanny and Edith's sister, Alice.