The Stones of Venice - Softcover

John Ruskin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1873429452 ISBN 13: 9781873429457

Publisher: Pallas Athene, 2024

Synopsis

For fifty years, 'The Stones of Venice' was read by all who went there and thousands who could not; the sightseers whom the city captivates today seldom have Venice's greatest guidebook with them. The overwhelming clarity of Ruskin's vision, which would eventually lead to his mental breakdown, makes him most stimulating, entertaining, aggravating and enlightening companion. At its best, his prose has a precision and nobility that rank it with the greatest masters of the language. His most influential book, 'The Stones of Venice', was written as a part of an impassioned polemic in favour of Gothic architecture. 'It is in Venice, and in Venice only, that the effectual blows can be struck at this pestilent art of Renaissance.' This was Ruskin's war cry as he entered the now almost forgotten Battle of the Styles on the side against 'the school which has conducted men's inventive and constructional faculties from the Grand canal to Gower Street.' But first the reader must know the difference between right and wrong; he must find out for himself the best way of doing everything. 'I shall give him stones, and bricks, and straw, chisels and trowels and the ground, and then ask him to build, only helping him if I find him puzzled.' Unhappily, both these exciting objectives were attained only after the expenditure of nearly half a million words; glorious words, but too many. It is the aim of this edition to remedy this and to put a fascinating book within reach of those with limited resources of time. Much that was superfluous has been omitted; what is left is the essence of a now most readable book. It is a book for the lover of architecture, the lover of Venice, the lover of lost causes... but, perhaps, above all, for the lover of fine writing. --J.G. Link, in his introduction

About this title

Review:

Ruskin's finest work... It mixes art, architecture and morality to create a sublime history of the Venetian republic. --Tristram Hunt, The Week

Monumental... the great and good J.G.Links --Bernard Levin, The Times

From the Author:

It is a book for the lover of architecture, the lover of
Venice, the lover of lost causes... but, perhaps, above all, for the lover
of fine writing.
J. G. Links in his introduction

About this edition

• Publisher: Pallas Athene
• Publication date: 2024
• ISBN 10: 1873429452
• ISBN 13: 9781873429457
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272