This volume investigates the foundational years of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood through the primary lens of William Michael Rossetti’s personal diary. William E. Fredeman, a noted scholar of Victorian literature and art, provides a critical edition of these manuscripts, contextualizing the internal dynamics, artistic debates, and social interactions of the group. By presenting these documents alongside supplementary records, the book establishes a rigorous framework for understanding the movement's early development and its eventual dissolution.

Scholars and art historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for any serious study of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which serves as an essential reference for those examining the primary source material of the Victorian art scene.