# John Ruskin

## Biography

John Ruskin was an influential English polymath born in London in 1819. He was a prominent writer, art critic, social thinker, and artist of the Victorian era, whose wide-ranging interests spanned art, architecture, geology, political economy, and social reform. Ruskin first rose to prominence with the multi-volume "Modern Painters," which championed J.M.W. Turner and advocated for a moral approach to art rooted in truth to nature. His subsequent works, such as "The Seven Lamps of Architecture" and "The Stones of Venice," profoundly influenced architectural thought.

Ruskin became the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University, where he established the Ruskin School of Drawing. He was a vocal supporter of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Later in his life, his focus shifted increasingly to social and economic issues, critiquing industrialization and advocating for the dignity of labor, as seen in "Unto This Last." He also founded the Guild of St. George, a philanthropic organization dedicated to social welfare. Despite personal struggles and mental health challenges, Ruskin left a vast and complex intellectual legacy, deeply impacting art criticism, social reform, and early conservation efforts. He died in 1900.

## Books

- [The Elements of Drawing, in Three Letters to Beginners](https://samolit.com/books/96589)
- [The Seven Lamps of Architecture](https://samolit.com/books/96481)