The Stones of Venice (eBook)

John Ruskin (1819–1900) was one of the most versatile and influential thinkers of the 19th century. A polymath who had significant impact across a multitude of disciplines, Ruskin was an art critic, the patron of various artists, a draughtsman, a watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and a philanthropist. Born in London into a wealthy family, he was educated at the University of Oxford where he won the Newdigate prize for poetry, an early indicator of his literary talents. Ruskin's writings were vast and varied, but they consistently fused his interests in art, nature, and morality. His five-volume work, 'The Stones of Venice' (1851–53), is illustrative of his approach — blending architectural analysis with a call for moral and societal reform based on the lessons of Venetian art history. This seminal text not only impacted the gothic revival in architecture but also fortified his reputation as a brilliant and penetrating art critic. In it, Ruskin espoused the belief that artistic and social health were deeply interconnected, and from there, he expounded on themes that would recur throughout his writing: the importance of craftsmanship, the moral significance of beauty, and the detrimental effects of industrialization on both society and the environment. Ruskin's literary style was notably rich and ornate, reflecting his passion for beauty and precision, and making him a towering figure of the Victorian era, whose work continues to influence and inspire.