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Not to mention the terrible tonsorial conditions.

One merkin between two ?

The "colourful and rude gang drama" ... I sense a gang-bang in the offing and 19th century 'roasting'. The things they spend the licence fee on. I can think of more edifying spectacles !

They were a pretty important bunch in their time, and their influence survives to this day.

The best definition of art i've come across (and of course there isn't a single definition but nonetheless) comes from Adorno - 'Art is a protest at bad reality'. Given the relative privilege of the Pre-Raphaelites their reality was probably somewhat more comfortable than that of the great majority of people and their problems an extravagance.

At the time art was an elite practice and as such the extent of their influence would have been limited. The 1944 education act or the formation of the health service was influential so you have to qualify influence and see this bunch for what they were ... dilettantes.

Good definition

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