William Holman Hunt
Artist William Holman Hunt (1827 - 1910) was born in London's Cheapside, the son of a poor storekeeper. The family of the future artist was distinguished by puritanical severity and his reference book was the Bible, reading which he spent many hours. However, William's father loved painting and read a lot, encouraged his son's passion for drawing as a small hobby, but was categorically against William painting professionally. At the age of 16, he began to make a living by copying paintings and painting inexpensive portraits. In 1844, after two unsuccessful attempts, William finally entered the Royal Academy School of Art. From a young age, William Holman Hunt believed that art should be based on high religious and moral standards. We can say that he was more a preacher than an artist. In any case, his friends called William "the great priest of the Pre-Raphaelites." Initially, Hunt's paintings were not in demand, but over time, the artist gained fame.
