The Great Contrarian: John Ruskin

Abstract

John Ruskin (1819–1900) occupies an interesting position on the map of scholarship. He was essentially a critic who became an undisputed opinion leader in matters of art and architecture in his time. He was nearly forgotten for several decades. Only toward the end of the 20th century did his contribution begin to be reevaluated. Ruskin was born in London and studied in Oxford from 1836 to 1842, but he did not obtain a degree (1–3). Throughout his life, Ruskin traveled extensively in Britain and on the continent, particularly in Italy, France, and Switzerland. He became the most prominent art and architecture critic in England. He was fascinated by architecture and nature, and he studied both. Ruskin was as much interested in buildings as he was in geology, and he accumulated a large collection of minerals. The biography by Tim Hilton provides a captivating account of his life (2, 3). Ruskin wrote widely on nature, art, and society, and his books brought him early national fame. He published The Seven Lamps of Architecture in 1849 and The Stones of Venice between 1851 and 1853. Between 1843 and 1860, he wrote 5 volumes of Modern Painters . In the first volume, Ruskin championed the painter J.M.W. Turner (4). He later …