Stones of Venice - Volume II

"More than simply a survey of an ancient city's most significant buildings, The Stones of Veniceżfirst published in three volumes between 1851 and 1853żis an expression of a philosophy of art, nature, and morality that goes beyond art history, and has inspired such thinkers as Leo Tolstoy, Marcel Proust, and Mahatma Gandhi. Volume II, examining the Byzantine era and the architectural developments of Veniceżs Gothic period, includes the oft-anthologized chapter żThe Nature of Gothic,ż one of the authorżs most important discussions of his key theme, żthe relation of the art of Venice to her moral temper.ż For Ruskin, the Gothic style embodied the same moral truths sought by great art. Informative, aesthetic, and spiritual, this architectural exploration will be appreciated by students and scholars alike. The preeminent art critic of his time, British writer JOHN RUSKIN (1819ż1900) had a profound influence upon European painting, architecture, and aesthetics of the 19th and 20th centuries. His immense body of literary works include Modern Painters, Volume IżIV (1843ż1856); The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849); Unto This Last (1862); Munera Pulveris (1862ż3); The Crown of Wild Olive (1866); Time and Tide (1867); and Fors Clavigera (1871-84)."