Ruskin's Venice

John Ruskin's masterpiece "The Stones of Venice" (1851-53) was one of the most influential books on art and architecture ever written and is still regarded as a classic work. However, the problems posed by its length (almost half a million words in three volumes) make it a challenge to read in its e [...]
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John Ruskin's masterpiece "The Stones of Venice" (1851-53) was one of the most influential books on art and architecture ever written and is still regarded as a classic work. However, the problems posed by its length (almost half a million words in three volumes) make it a challenge to read in its entirety. Sarah Quill has resolved this challenge by selecting Ruskin's descriptions of individual buildings and linking them to her own photographs of the same buildings, so creating a guide that fuses Ruskin's vision of the city with images of the present day. Covering a wide range of subjects - from palaces, churches and town houses, to bridges, courtyards and capitals - Quill's photographs illuminate Ruskin's words and record the fine architectural details described by him: intricate brickwork, coloured marble, carvings and sculpture. In addition, many of Ruskin's own drawings and watercolours are reproduced, along with 19th-century engravings, providing a visual comparison between the Venice he encountered in the 1850s and the city we see today.Also included are extracts from Ruskin's letters and introductory chapters that provide background on Ruskin in Venice and Venetian architecture. The result is a book that communicates the writer's passion for Venice and his concern for her architectural heritage. Uniting the historical with the present day, "Ruskin's Venice: The Stones Revisited" is a companion guide for both the seasoned and first-time traveller to Venice.