Rienzi vowing to obtain justice for the death of his young brother, slain in a skirmish between the Colonna and the Orsini factions

William Holman Hunt painted Rienzi in 1848-1849, one of the first Pre-Raphaelite paintings. The subject, from Bulwer-Lytton's novel about the medieval Roman tribune, depicts Rienzi vowing vengeance for his brother's death. The theme of political idealism and resistance to tyranny resonated with the revolutionary events of 1848 across Europe. Hunt painted the background on location in Hampstead, establishing the Pre-Raphaelite practice of outdoor painting.

The bright, hard-edged technique and intense local color represent the Pre-Raphaelite rejection of academic conventions. The meticulous attention to armor, costume, and natural detail demonstrates the Brotherhood's commitment to truth in every element of the painting.