DOI Heft:
No. 84 (March, 1900)
DOI Artikel:Cook, E. T.: Ruskin as artist and art critic
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19784#0091
yohn Ruskin
books are for the most part engraved from original strength or in breadth. Is there not strength of
studies by himself. These landscape and architec- drawing in the Strength of Old Pine and breadth
tural studies are often as elaborate and as poetical as of effect in the Venetian study, St. George of
the passages of written words which accompany the Seaiveed ? Similar remarks may be made
them. Ruskin is probably the only man who has of Ruskin's mountain drawings. The detailed
ever described the same scenes with so large a studies of the Matterhorn and the Chamonix
measure of success in the three methods of prose Aiguilles are admirable for their fidelity in sug-
and verse and drawing. His prose is best; his gesting the vital truths of mountain structure ;
drawing second ; and his verse third. As an but Ruskin could also seize the momentary effects
introduction to his skill as a draughtsman let of distant views and fix the impression on paper
us open the third volume of " Modern Painters" for ever. Two of his drawings engraved in
—in an early edition if possible, for something " Modern Painters" are particularly successful in
of the softness and delicacy of the plates is this respect. One is called Sunset in the West,
missing in all the later reprints — and look and shows a brilliant sunset-sky above the black
for a while at the frontispiece engraved from mass of a cathedral. Many a traveller across the
a drawing by Ruskin and called Land, Lake and plains of northern France must have noticed, even
Cloud. It is a scene on Como—full of grace and from the window of a railway carriage, how as
rich in suggestion ; full also of detail, and yet some grand cathedral recedes into the distance, it
conveying most successfully the impression of gathers itself up in might and majesty until it fills
movement and of distance. Or turn, again, to the whole foreground of the picture, while above
the fourth and fifth volumes of "Modern Painters." it and around, if the evening be propitious,
Who has not been struck by the author-artist's "there flames and falls the rapture of the day."
delineation of leaves and tendrils, rocks and Ruskin's sketch was done at Beauvais; it is true
clouds ? Exquisitely minute, they are, for the in general effect of many another scene. The
most, as they profess to be, simple records. But other drawing to which I have referred above, is
the minuteness of study which they display does of Monte Rosa. I do not know where it was done,
not rob them of grace and poetry ; nor when nor does it matter. It may have been from Monte
occasion offers, does the illustrator fail either in Oeneroso, or from some other coign of vantage in
"venga medusa" from "modern painters " (George Allen)
78
by john ruskin
books are for the most part engraved from original strength or in breadth. Is there not strength of
studies by himself. These landscape and architec- drawing in the Strength of Old Pine and breadth
tural studies are often as elaborate and as poetical as of effect in the Venetian study, St. George of
the passages of written words which accompany the Seaiveed ? Similar remarks may be made
them. Ruskin is probably the only man who has of Ruskin's mountain drawings. The detailed
ever described the same scenes with so large a studies of the Matterhorn and the Chamonix
measure of success in the three methods of prose Aiguilles are admirable for their fidelity in sug-
and verse and drawing. His prose is best; his gesting the vital truths of mountain structure ;
drawing second ; and his verse third. As an but Ruskin could also seize the momentary effects
introduction to his skill as a draughtsman let of distant views and fix the impression on paper
us open the third volume of " Modern Painters" for ever. Two of his drawings engraved in
—in an early edition if possible, for something " Modern Painters" are particularly successful in
of the softness and delicacy of the plates is this respect. One is called Sunset in the West,
missing in all the later reprints — and look and shows a brilliant sunset-sky above the black
for a while at the frontispiece engraved from mass of a cathedral. Many a traveller across the
a drawing by Ruskin and called Land, Lake and plains of northern France must have noticed, even
Cloud. It is a scene on Como—full of grace and from the window of a railway carriage, how as
rich in suggestion ; full also of detail, and yet some grand cathedral recedes into the distance, it
conveying most successfully the impression of gathers itself up in might and majesty until it fills
movement and of distance. Or turn, again, to the whole foreground of the picture, while above
the fourth and fifth volumes of "Modern Painters." it and around, if the evening be propitious,
Who has not been struck by the author-artist's "there flames and falls the rapture of the day."
delineation of leaves and tendrils, rocks and Ruskin's sketch was done at Beauvais; it is true
clouds ? Exquisitely minute, they are, for the in general effect of many another scene. The
most, as they profess to be, simple records. But other drawing to which I have referred above, is
the minuteness of study which they display does of Monte Rosa. I do not know where it was done,
not rob them of grace and poetry ; nor when nor does it matter. It may have been from Monte
occasion offers, does the illustrator fail either in Oeneroso, or from some other coign of vantage in
"venga medusa" from "modern painters " (George Allen)
78
by john ruskin