One of the founder members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and arguably one of the most important painters of the 19th Century, Hunt visited Egypt and the Holy Land in 1854-55 and again from 1869-1872. Some of his paintings, such as The Light of the World, The Hireling Shepherd, The Awakening Conscience and The Triumph of the Innocents have become icons of the Victorian era. Hunt was awarded the Order of Merit in 1905.

His titles relevant to Cornwall include Helston, Cornwall (1860, watercolour on paper).