Ruskin's Venice: 'a paradise of cities'

8 January - 26 March 2000

John Ruskin: Campanile of St Marks, Venice

Ruskin made eleven trips to Venice during his lifetime. The first was made with his parents in 1835. In the winter of 1840-1, also with his parents, another tour included Genoa, Rome and Naples, as well as Venice, which he hailed as 'a Paradise of Cities'. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of Venice to Ruskin's life, emotionally as well as intellectually. Initially seduced by its romantic beauty, as all English visitors are, he then chose to undertake a far deeper study of its art and architecture than anyone had previously attempted.

Interior of St. Mark's, Venice. Albert Goodwin

This exhibition portrayed the depth and scope of Ruskin's experience of Venice, and inludes many of the detailed sketches and studies of architecture used by him for his book The Stones of Venice'. The exhibition also displays other interests in Venice that Ruskin had such as rare early printed books of Venetian interest from the 15th and 16th Century.

Also on display were pictures by artists Ruskin knew. He commisioned T.M. Rooke, J.W. Bunney, and Angelo Alessandri to record images of Venice before they were destroyed by 'restorers who were replacing old coloured marble with white. These paintings give us some of the atmosphere and romantic beauty that Ruskin's own drawings and studies do not.

Salute, Showery Weather, 1902. Arthur Severn

Ruskin's Venetian Notebooks 1849-50 (Electronic Edition)

Catalogues are available for many of our exhibitions - see our Publications List for details.

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Ruskin's Venice: 'a paradise of cities'

8 January - 26 March 2000

Ruskin's Venetian Notebooks 1849-50 (Electronic Edition)

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