Pre-Raphaelite art in close-up

You can now see many Pre-Raphaelite works of art in close-up detail on the website of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Works by artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Ruskin and Ford Madox Brown can be seen on the website in incredible detail thanks to Microsoft's Silverlight browser plug-in.

Access to the Pre-Raphaelite collection is free and you can zoom in on the artwork simply by using the scroll wheel on your mouse. There are more than 2,000 works in the collection.

Birmingham Council member Martin Mullaney said: "This is about bringing Birmingham’s world-class collection of Pre-Raphaelite art to a worldwide audience using the latest digital technology."

Silverlight is a free download that will work with most web browsers. You can download Silverlight here.

Steve Lamb of Microsoft UK said: "The museum’s website offers users a unique and fantastic way in which to look at this vast and influential catalogue of Pre-Raphaelite artwork, using our deep-zoom technology and is a true testament to Silverlight’s capabilities.”