Rienzi Vowing to Obtain Justice for the Death of his Young Brother, Slain in a Skirmish between the Colonna and Orsini Factions

William Holman Hunt completed this ambitious scene depicting Cola di Rienzi swearing vengeance over his murdered brother's body. The medieval Roman tribune raises his arm in a dramatic oath while mourners gather around the fallen youth. Hunt's careful attention to historical costume and setting reflects Pre-Raphaelite ideals.

This early work helped establish Hunt as a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The painting combines moral seriousness with vivid color and precise observation, hallmarks of the movement's rebellion against academic conventions. The work remains in a private collection.