A New and Noble School: Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites

John Ruskin wrote two letters to The Times in 1851 to defend the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, which led to his publication of Pre-Raphaelitism and a decade of public support for their work. He saw a parallel in the hostile reaction to the paintings of his artistic idol J. M. W. Turner and hoped to nurture a worthy successor in landscape painting. This compilation includes all of Ruskin's published writings on the Pre-Raphaelites, beginning with the celebrated passage in Modern Painters (1843) and the annual Academy Notes (1855-9).

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2023
Publisher: Pallas Athene Publishers

John Ruskin, a renowned art critic and writer, played a crucial role in defending the young artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1851. In response to widespread criticism of their paintings, Ruskin wrote two letters to The Times, challenging the negative perceptions and providing a defense of their artistic vision.

Shortly after, he published a pamphlet titled "Pre-Raphaelitism," which marked the beginning of nearly a decade of public support for the work of William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and their associates. Ruskin, already established as one of the leading writers on art, took a personal risk in championing the Pre-Raphaelite cause, drawing a parallel between the hostile reaction to the paintings of his artistic idol J. M. W. Turner.

In particular, Ruskin had a deep admiration for Millais and sought to nurture a worthy successor in landscape painting. He believed that the Pre-Raphaelites' attention to truth and detail offered the potential to establish a "new and noble school" of British art. This compilation, the first of its kind, includes all of Ruskin's published writings related to the Pre-Raphaelites, beginning with the celebrated passage in the first volume of Modern Painters (1843) that encouraged young artists to "go to nature in all its freshness and variety, rejecting nothing, selecting nothing, and scorning nothing."

Ruskin's influence on the Pre-Raphaelite movement was significant, and his writings played a crucial role in their popular success and widespread acceptance of their principles. The pamphlet "Pre-Raphaelitism" was rarely reprinted since its publication, but it remains a valuable source of insight into Ruskin's thoughts on the Pre-Raphaelites and their artistic vision.

In the period after 1860, when Ruskin focused more on social issues, he published a series of articles titled "The Three Colours of Pre-Raphaelitism" in the Nineteenth Century magazine. These articles, while less well-known, provide further insights into Ruskin's interpretation of the Pre-Raphaelites and their artistic contributions.

Additionally, Ruskin delivered a number of lectures, including the last of his S. John Ruskin lectures, which further explored the themes of Pre-Raphaelitism and its impact on art. These lectures, delivered in the late 1870s, showcase Ruskin's profound understanding and appreciation of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

In conclusion, John Ruskin's defense of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1851 and his subsequent support for their work marked a significant turning point in the history of art. His writings, combined with his public advocacy, helped to establish the Pre-Raphaelites as a prominent artistic movement and paved the way for the development of modern art. Ruskin's legacy continues to inspire and influence artists and art enthusiasts alike, and his contributions to the Pre-Raphaelite movement remain an important part of art history.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 214 x 138 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843680864