Lecture on John Ruskin: Art Critic and Visionary

Introduction

• John Ruskin turns 200 in four days.
• Hasn't aged well in popular culture (e.g., 2014 films like Mike Lee’s “Mr. Turner”).
• Focus: Celebrating Ruskin's achievements as a versatile writer.
• Concentration: His art criticism.

Ruskin's Final Days

• Died peacefully on January 20, 1900, at 80.
• Lived in Brantwood, overlooking Coniston Water.
• Silent for a decade, visited occasionally.
• Turner's paintings hung in his room, fulfilling his wish to see them last.

Key Paintings in Ruskin's Room

• Ruskin's Father's Watercolor: Conwy Castle (1790s, North Wales).
• Turner's Watercolor: Pass of Faido (Switzerland).
• Both hang in Ruskin’s room symbolizing different art traditions.

Ruskin's Biography

• Born: February 8, 1819, in London.
• Father: John James Ruskin, a wine importer.
• Inherited a substantial fortune in modern equivalents.
• First taste of paradise: Herne Hill garden.
• Upbringing: Strict and austere religious discipline from his mother.
• Developed deep analytical skills and imagination from limited play and intense observation.
• Formed the basis of his future art criticism and writing style.

Ruskin's Analytical Mind

• Noted for having the most analytical mind in Europe (compliment from Italian politician).
• Developed analytical skills through detailed observations of mundane things in childhood (e.g., knots in wood, patterns on carpets).
• Applied his analytical prowess to art criticism, reinforced by his knowledge in geology, botany, and art practice.

Imagination Richly Fed

• Childhood readings: Walter Scott, Homer, Robinson Crusoe, and others.
• Factored into his art criticism methodology, blending imagination with analytical skills.
• Father’s storytelling inspired his imaginative prowess.

Art Criticism and Analytical Powers: A Storytelling Technique

• Used detailed observation to deduce elaborate stories from paintings (e.g., Holman Hunt's Awakening Conscience).
• Influenced by Gothic architecture, medieval craftsmanship, and the Pre-Raphaelites.
• Critical of 19th-century capitalism and its impact on workers.
• Praised Turner’s landscapes for their spiritual force, championed Pre-Raphaelites for their naturalistic detail.

Ruskin's Crusade for Honest Landscape Art

• Critiqued older classical models, like Claude Lorrain, for their lack of truth.
• Praised Turner for his revolutionary vision and modern painters for truthful representation of nature.
• Modern Painters (five volumes, over 17 years): defended Turner, criticized artificiality and idealized landscapes.

Teaching Slow Art Appreciation

• Importance of prolonged, detailed observation of art.
• Ruskin's method promotes deep engagement with artwork, contrasting today's quick views and photography.
• Emphasizes seeing beyond the static topography to experience the emotional narrative of art.

Conclusion

• Ruskin's unique approach to art criticism combines detailed observation and rich imagination.
• His