In 1848, a group of artists who were inspired by the theories of John Ruskin banded together to create the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The name came about because the Royal Acadamy at the time was heavily interested in the work of Raphael. This meant that rather than a focus on balance and perfect artistry, the Pre-Raphaelites were interested in making art (and literature) with as heavy an emphasis on realism as they could. Originally, the principle members of the brotherhood included William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rosetti. The original society in 1848 did contain one author, and as the movement gained traction by 1860, more painters and authors joined the movement including Christina Rosetti, author of "Goblin Market." 

The group was also opposed to the interest in 'genre painting,' and prefered to focus on more trancendental subjects. Much of their work is religious, but they were also inspired by literature and poetry. One of the most famous Pre-Raphaelite paintings is that of Ophelia. By the 1860s, and influenced by Rosetti, the movement became interested in symbolism as well. The Pre-Raphaelites were interested in exploring love and death and in making art that spoke to social issues of the time. 

Source: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/pre-raphaelite