John Ruskin
February 8 marked the 200th anniversary of the cultural critic and social reformer John Ruskin. Ruskin found early fame as an art critic, and his writings influenced the tastes of generations of Victorians. He championed J. M. W. Turner, the pre-Raphaelite painters, and the 19th century revival of Renaissance and pre-Renaissance art, as well as promoting the value of the arts and crafts in a time of rapid industrialization. This engraving from Ruskin’s work on The Stones of Venice (1851-53) showcases his study of pre-Renaissance art and architecture as well as his own artistic abilities.
