The Seven Lamps of Architecture - Couverture souple

A classic work by the great Victorian expresses his deepest convictions about the nature and role of architecture and its aesthetics. Though Ruskin himself later called it “a wretched rant”, this book really paved the way for modern architectural history and criticism, laying down criteria by which to judge buildings which were not simply those of Vitruvius or Alberti dressed up in 18th-centtury tasteful finery. He puts forward an eloquent case, among other things for the preservation of historic buildings. This edition includes reproductions of the 14 original plates of Ruskin’s superb drawings of architectural details from such structures as the Doge’s Palace in Venice to the Cathedral of Rouen. A leading English art critic of the Victorian era, art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, prominent social thinker and philanthropist. Ruskin wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political economy. His writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. Ruskin penned essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art was later superseded by a preference for plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, and architectural structures and ornamentation.

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format. From Shakespeare’s finesse to Oscar Wilde’s wit, this unique collection brings together works as diverse and influential as The Pilgrim’s Progress and Othello. As an anthology that invites readers to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is must-have addition to any library.