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 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...
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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 fascinating 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 glorious photographs illuminate Ruskin's words and record with skill and precision 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 nineteenth-century engravings, providing an intriguing visual comparison between the Venice he encountered over 150 years ago and the city we see today. Also included are extracts from Ruskin's letters, and introductory chapters that provide essential background on Ruskin in Venice and Venetian architecture. The result is a beautifully illustrated book that successfully 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 unique companion guide for both the seasoned and first-time traveller to Venice, and will undoubtedly leave the reader determined to retrace Ruskin's footsteps time and time again.