John Ruskin

John Ruskin (February 8, 1819 - January 20, 1900). Author, poet and artist, although more famous for his work as art critic and social critic. His Modern Painters series were responsible for the early popularity of the artist Joseph Mallord William Turner and the pre-Raphaelite movement.

Ruskin was born in London and educated at the University of Oxford (Christ Church), where he was awarded a prize for poetry, his earliest interest. It was there that he met Turner. He also worked with the artists Rossetti, Millais, Holman Hunt, John Brett[?] and John William Inchbold[?]. Millais would in due course marry Effie Gray, who had been Ruskin's wife from 1848 until their marriage was annulled.

His later works influenced many Trade Union leaders of the Victorian era.

Ruskin taught first at the Working Men's College in London[?], and then at Oxford University as Slade Professor of Art[?]. Ruskin College[?] at Oxford is named after him.

Upon the death of his father (who was a wealthy wine merchant), Ruskin declared that it was not possible to be a rich socialist and gave away most of his inheritance to educational organizations including the George's Guild[?] in Paddington, the Whitelands College[?] in Chelsea[?] and the John Ruskin School[?] in Camberwell.

Bibliography

• The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849)
• Pre-Raphaelitism (1851)
• The Stones of Venice (1853)
• Architecture and Painting (1854)
• Modern Painters III (1856)
• Political Economy of Art (1857)
• Modern Painters IV (1860)
• Unto the Last (1862)
• Essays on Political Economy (1862)
• Time and Tide (1867)

External links

• Ruskin Library (http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/ruskinlib/)
• Ruskin Museum (Coniston) (http://www.ruskinmuseum.com/)
• Ruskin Gallery (http://www.speel.demon.co.uk/other/ruskmus.htm)
• Ruskin's house (http://www.brantwood.org.uk/)

e-texts of some of John Ruskin's works:

• The Ethics Of The Dust (http://www.abacci.com/books/book.asp?bookID=631)
• The King Of The Golden River (http://www.abacci.com/books/book.asp?bookID=1073)
• Sesame and Lilies (http://www.abacci.com/books/book.asp?bookID=2164)

An electronic edition of Modern Painters (browsable, but not e-text per se:)

• Modern Painters (http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/ruskin/empi/)