Arthur Hughes
- Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Hughes was the quiet Pre-Raphaelite. He converted to the cause in 1850, at eighteen, after reading The Germ, the Brotherhood's short-lived magazine. He met Holman Hunt, Rossetti, and Ford Madox Brown that same year. He was never an official member of the seven, but he became one of its most faithful adherents, painting with the same luminous colour and obsessive detail for decades after the others had moved on.
Biography
He first exhibited at the Royal Academy at seventeen. April Love (1855-56), his best-known painting, shows a young woman in a violet cloak standing in a garden, her expression somewhere between tenderness and the anticipation of loss. The model was Tryphena Foord, whom he married in 1855. The Long Engagement, painted around the same time, depicts a couple in a forest, the man a curate too poor to marry. Both paintings concern love under pressure from time and circumstance.
Where Rossetti's life was operatic and Millais's was public, Hughes led a domestic existence. He contributed almost annually to the Royal Academy, the Grosvenor Gallery, and the New Gallery, but generated no scandals and no mythology. He died in 1915, aged eighty-three.
Timeline
- 1845Painted "Aurora Leigh's Dismissal of Romney - (The Tryst)".
- 1863Painted "The Beautiful Lady Without Pity".
- 1870Painted "Sir Galahad - the Quest of the Holy Grail".
- 1872Painted "'The Pained Heart', or 'Sigh No More, Ladies', or 'Juliet and her Nurse'".
- 1888Painted "Little one who straight has come Down the Heavenly Stairs".
- 1908Painted "The Overthrowing of the Rusty Knight".
Notable Works
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Where to See Arthur Hughes
28 museums worldwide.
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5 works
Ashmolean Museum
Oxford, United Kingdom
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon · Free
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- 5 works
National Gallery
London, United Kingdom
Daily 10:00–18:00 (Fri until 21:00) · Free
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See all Arthur Hughes prints →Frequently Asked Questions
Was arthur hughes a pre raphaelite?
Arthur Hughes converted to the Pre-Raphaelite cause in 1850 after reading The Germ magazine. Although he was never an official member, he became a faithful adherent, painting with luminous colour and obsessive detail.Who is arthur hughes wife?
Arthur Hughes married Tryphena Foord in 1855. She was the model for his painting April Love.What is Arthur Hughes known for?
Hughes is best known for his painting *April Love* (1855-56), which depicts a young woman in a violet cloak in a garden. The painting captures an expression somewhere between tenderness and the anticipation of loss. He is also known for *The Long Engagement*, which depicts a couple in a forest.What was Arthur Hughes's art style?
Hughes painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, characterised by luminous colour and obsessive detail. He adopted this style after reading *The Germ* and maintained it throughout his career. His paintings often explored themes of love under pressure from time and circumstance.Where can I see Arthur Hughes's work?
Arthur Hughes's works can be seen at Birmingham Museums Trust, National Trust, Tate, and 2 other museums worldwide.Who was Arthur Hughes?
Arthur Hughes was a Pre-Raphaelite artist who converted to the movement in 1850 after reading *The Germ*, the Brotherhood's magazine. Although he was never an official member, he became a faithful adherent, painting with luminous colour and obsessive detail. He maintained this style for decades, even after others moved on.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Arthur Hughes.
- [1] museum Toledo Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum National Museums Scotland Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum Maidstone Museum and Bentlif Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Touchstones Rochdale Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum Beverley Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] book David Adelman;, Art Collecting and Middle Class Culture From London to Brighton, 18401914 Used for: biography.
- [8] book Engen, Rodney K, Pre-Raphaelite prints : the graphic art of Millais, Holman Hunt, Rossetti and their followers Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-07-15. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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