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Rebellious, talented and charismatic, three young men with a mission to change the world of art: The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Millais declare their irreverent genius to the Victorian artistic establishment as frequently and as loudly as they can. Unfortunately for them, only one man seems to be listening. Fred Walters is a shy hanger-on, who ingratiates himself with the Brotherhood by locating the "perfect model", flame-haired Lizzie Siddal, a hat shop girl. Though none of them quite yet realise it, she is soon to be the most famous model in Britain.

Fred immediately falls in love with Lizzie, but yet in vying for her attention he cannot compete with Rossetti's endless charisma and self-belief. Lizzie, meanwhile, begins to model first for the hard-working and pugnacious Hunt.

The boys' adventurous, anti-establishment style and choice of subject matter and model brings them to the notice of the brilliant and influential art critic, John Ruskin. Encouraged by Ruskin's interest, and still smarting over their rejection by the Royal Academy, the boys decide to mount a last-gasp exhibition of their own. One step away from anonymity and poverty they invite Ruskin in the hope of securing his approval which is vital to launching them into a world of fame and fortune.

As they work towards each painting becoming a masterpiece for their make-or-break exhibition they find themselves distracted by poverty, hunger, jealousy and lust.

William Holman Hunt is played by Rafe Spall; Dante Gabriel Rossetti by Aidan Turner; John Millais by Samuel Barnett; Fred Walters by Sam Crane; Lizzie Siddal by Amy Manson; John Ruskin by Tom Hollander; Annie Miller by Jennie Jacques and Effie Ruskin by Zoe Tapper.