Studio: international art (19.1900)

yolin Ruskin

Ruskin's position and influence as an art critic for the emphasis has passed away, and people
are, it seems to me, subject at this time to two fasten only on the fallacies in the exaggeration,
somewhat hostile influences. One is forgetfulness, Ruskin effected "a revolution in British art by
the other is misunderstanding. Ruskin's principal preaching the gospel of naturalism as against con-
work in art criticism was done fifty years ago, and ventionalism, of sincerity and strenuousness as
it was done so completely that a new generation against triviality, of the Gothic revival as against
has forgotten it. The very depth and diffusion of classicalism. The positive and appreciative portion
his influence on the artistic world have blinded of what he said has now passed into common-place ;
his later contemporaries to the extent of it. To and critics remember only the exaggerations which
enforce little known truths, to gain recognition for led Ruskin to under-rate the best Renaissance
neglected masters, to breathe life into dead bones, work, to preach sincerity of purpose as if it were
Ruskin wrote with the exaggeration of emphasis, an artistic substitute for skill of hand, to insist upon
Now that his work has had its effect, the necessity fidelity to Nature as if this excluded the function

of the imagination. As
a matter of fact, Ruskin's

— una no, .....- • —nsr^ ™,'wmr7- —»-f---f-MWf" books, read in connection

with which, in asserting

"gneiss rock: glenfinlas" from "studies in ruskin " (George Allen) .

by joiin ruskin the claims of one set of

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