John Ruskin, página 3 de 9

Some years ago, in conversation with an artist whose works, perhaps, alone, in the present day, unite perfection of drawing with resplendence of color, the writer made some inquiry respecting the general means by which this latter quality was most easily to be attained. The reply was as concise as it was comprehensive"Know what you have to do, and do it"comprehensive, not only as regarded the branch of art to which it temporarily applied, but as expressing the great principle of success in every direction of human effort; for I believe that failure is less frequently attributable to either insufficiency of means or impatience of labor, than to a confused understanding of the thing actually to be done; and therefore, while it is properly a subject of ridicule, and sometimes of blame, that men propose to themselves a perfection of any kind, which reason, temperately consulted, might have shown to be impossible with the means at their command, it is a more dangerous error to permit the consideration of means to interfere with our conception, or, as is not impossible, even hinder our acknowledgment of goodness and perfection in themselves ...

The work now laid before the public originated in indignation at the shallow and false criticism of the periodicals of the day on the works of the great living artist to whom it principally refers. It was intended to be a short pamphlet, reprobating the matter and style of those critiques, and pointing out their perilous tendency, as guides of public feeling. But, as point after point presented itself for demonstration, I found myself compelled to amplify what was at first a letter to the Editor of a Review, into something very like a treatise on art, to which I was obliged to give the more consistency and completeness, because it advocated opinions which, to the ordinary connoisseur, will sound heretical. I now scarcely know whether I should announce it is an Essay on Landscape Painting, and apologize for its frequent reference to the works of a particular master; or, announcing it as a critique on particular works, apologize for its lengthy discussion of general principles. But of whatever character the work may be considered, the motives which led me to undertake it must not be mistaken. No zeal for the reputation of any individual, no personal feeling of any kind, has the slightest weight or influence with me. The reputation of the great artist to whose works I have chiefly referred, is established on too legitimate grounds among all whose admiration is honorable, to be in any way affected by the ignorant sarcasms of pretension and affectation.

It was originally intended that this Work should consist of two volumes only; the subject has extended to three. The second volume, however, will conclude the account of the ancient architecture of Venice. The third will embrace the Early, the Roman, and the Grotesque Renaissance; and an Index, which, as it gives, in alphabetical order, a brief account of all the buildings in Venice, or references to the places where they are mentioned in the text, will be found a convenient guide for the traveller. In order to make it more serviceable, I have introduced some notices of the pictures which I think most interesting in the various churches, and in the Scuola di San Rocco.

It was originally intended that this Work should consist of two volumes only; the subject has extended to three. The second volume, however, will conclude the account of the ancient architecture of Venice. The third will embrace the Early, the Roman, and the Grotesque Renaissance; and an Index, which, as it gives, in alphabetical order, a brief account of all the buildings in Venice, or references to the places where they are mentioned in the text, will be found a convenient guide for the traveller. In order to make it more serviceable, I have introduced some notices of the pictures which I think most interesting in the various churches, and in the Scuola di San Rocco.

John Ruskin (Londra, 1819 Coniston, 1900), critico darte e moralizzatore della societa vittoriana, fu autore particolarmente prolifico. In passato, i 39 volumi di cui si compone la monumentale Library Edition degli scritti ruskiniani sono stati definiti una pietra tombale posta sullopera dellautore. Oggi, provando a sollevare appena quella pietra che schiude un universo di ricca scrittura, dove la lingua inglese avanza flessuosa tra gli incisi, i dettagli descrittivi, le citazioni, riportiamo alla luce tre scritti sulla letteratura: Fiabe (Fairy-Stories, 1868), Mondo di fiaba (Fairy Land, 1884) e larticolato Letteratura. Bene e male (Fiction. Fair and Foul, 1880). Offrendoli in traduzione ai lettori italiani ci proponiamo di far conoscere le questioni affrontate da Ruskin al loro interno e di indicarle come punti chiave di una riflessione letteraria che solo lendiadi estetica ed etica puo, forse, rendere al meglio

It may be proved, with much certainty, that God intends no man to live in this world without working: but it seems to me no less evident that He intends every man to be happy in his work. It is written, "in the sweat of thy brow," but it was never written, "in the breaking of thine heart," thou shalt eat bread; and I find that, as on the one hand, infinite misery is caused by idle people, who both fail in doing what was appointed for them to do, and set in motion various springs of mischief in matters in which they should have had no concern, so on the other hand, no small misery is caused by over-worked and unhappy people, in the dark views which they necessarily take up themselves, and force upon others, of work itself. Were it not so, I believe the fact of their being unhappy is in itself a violation of divine law, and a sign of some kind of folly or sin in their way of life. Now in order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it: They must not do too much of it: and they must have a sense of success in itnot a doubtful sense, such as needs some testimony of other people for its confirmation, but a sure sense, or rather knowledge, that so much work has been done well, and fruitfully done, whatever the world may say or think about it. So that in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work.The first thing then that he has to do, if unhappily his parents or masters have not done it for him, is to find out what he is fit for. In which inquiry a man may be very safely guided by his likings, if he be not also guided by his pride. People usually reason in some such fashion as this: "I dont seem quite fit for a head-manager in the firm of & Co., therefore, in all probability, I am fit to be Chancellor of the Exchequer." Whereas, they ought rather to reason thus: "I dont seem quite fit to be head-manager in the firm of & Co., but I daresay I might do something in a small green-grocery business; I used to be a good judge of peas;" that is to say, always trying lower instead of trying higher, until they find bottom: once well set on the ground, a man may build up by degrees, safely, instead of disturbing every one in his neighborhood by perpetual catastrophes.

Letters on Art:Art Criticism and Art Education."Modern Painters;" a Reply. 1843Art Criticism. 1843The Arts as a Branch of Education. 1857Art-Teaching by Correspondence. 1860Public Institutions and the National Gallery.Danger to the National Gallery. 1847The National Gallery. 1852The British Museum. 1866On the Purchase of Pictures. 1880Pre-raphaelitism.The Pre-Raphaelite Brethren. 1851 (May 13)The Pre-Raphaelite Brethren. 1851 (May 30)"The Light of the World," Holman Hunt. 1854{vi}"The Awakening Conscience," Holman Hunt. 1854Pre-Raphaelitism in Liverpool. 1858Generalization and the Scotch Pre-Raphaelites. 1858Turner.The Turner Bequest. 1856[Turners Sketch Book. 1858The Turner Bequest and the National Gallery. 1857The Turner Sketches and Drawings. 1858[The Liber Studiorum. 1858The Turner Gallery at Kensington. 1859Turners Drawings. 1876 (July 5)Turners Drawings. 1876 (July 19)Copies of Turners Drawings. 1876[Copies of Turners DrawingsExtract. 1857[Copy of Turners Fluelen"Turners," False and True. 1871.The Character of Turner. 1857.[Thornburys Life of Turner. 1861.Pictures and Artists.John Leechs Outlines. 1872.Ernest Georges Etchings. 1873.The Frederick Walker Exhibition. 1876.Architecture and Restoration.Gothic Architecture and the Oxford Museum. 1858.Gothic Architecture and the Oxford Museum. 1859.The Castle Rock (Edinburgh). 1857 (Sept. 14)Edinburgh Castle. 1857 (Sept. 27)Castles and Kennels. 1871 (Dec. 22)Verona v. Warwick. 1871 (Dec. 24){vii}Notre Dame de Paris. 1871Mr. Ruskins InfluenceA Defence. 1872 (March 15)Mr. Ruskins InfluenceA Rejoinder. 1872 (March 21)Modern Restorations. 1877Ribbesford Church. 1877Circular relating to St. Marks, Venice. 1879.[Letters relating to St. Marks, Venice. 1879.Letters on Science:Geological.The Conformation of the Alps, 1864Concerning Glaciers. 1864.English versus Alpine Geology. 1864Concerning Hydrostatics. 1864James David Forbes: His Real Greatness. 1874.

It is mortifying enough to write,but I think thus much ought to be written,concerning myself, as the author of Modern Painters. In three months I shall be fifty years old: and I dont at this hourten oclock in the morning of the two hundred and sixty-eighth day of my forty-ninth yearknow what moss is.There is nothing I have more intended to knowsome day or other. But the moss would always be there; and then it was so beautiful, and so difficult to examine, that one could only do it in some quite separated time of happy leisurewhich came not. I never was like to have less leisure than now, but I will know what moss is, if possible, forthwith.

Porch of San Zenone, Verona The Arethusa of Syracuse The Warning to the Kings, San Zenone, Verona The Nativity of Athena Tomb of the Doges Jacopo and Lorenzo Tiepolo Archaic Athena of Athens and Corinth Archaic, Central and Declining Art of Greece The Apollo of Syracuse, and the Self-made Man Apollo Chrysocomes of Clazomen Marble Masonry in the Duomo of Verona The First Elements of Sculpture. Incised outline and opened space Branch of Phillyrea Greek Flat relief, and sculpture by edged incision Apollo and the Python. Heracles and the Nemean Lion Hera of Argos. Zeus of Syracuse Demeter of Messene. Hera of Cnossus Athena of Thurium. Siren Ligeia of Terina Artemis of Syracuse. Hera of Lacinian Cape Zeus of Messene. Ajax of Opus Greek and Barbarian Sculpture The Beginnings of Chivalry

Early Renaissance,Roman Renaissance,Grotesque Renaissance,Conclusion,Architect of the Ducal Palace,Theology of Spenser,Austrian Government in Italy,Date of the Palaces of the Byzantine Renaissance,Renaissance Side of Ducal Palace,Character of the Doge Michele Morosini,Modern Education,Early Venetian Marriages,Character of the Venetian Aristocracy,

Siguiendo las teorías expuestas en "Las siete lámparas de la arquitectura", Ruskin considera a Venecia como escenario de la colisión entre la miseria del presente y la grandeza del pasado, como lugar privilegiado que ha preservado la historia de la humanidad, interpretada a través de su arquitectura.