The Stones of Venice, Volume 2 (of 3),

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

30755

Title

The Stones of Venice, Volume 2 (of 3),

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

John Ruskin's second volume of *The Stones of Venice* explores the city's Gothic architecture, contrasting its spiritual vitality with modern decay. Through vivid descriptions of the lagoon, palaces, and artistic principles, Ruskin argues for an architecture that honors materials and expresses Christian virtue, warning against the 'barbarism' of treating glass as a canvas for pictures.

Summary up to 500 words

In Volume II of *The Stones of Venice*, John Ruskin continues his architectural history by focusing on the Gothic period, beginning with a poignant reflection on Venice's approach from the lagoon. He laments the loss of the city's ancient landscape to modern engineering and rail travel, arguing that the Romanticized, 'Byronic' view of Venice as a tragic prison is a fiction that obscures the city's true history. Ruskin insists that the city was built by 'iron hands' and patient hearts rather than enchanters, urging readers to look beyond the decayed ruins and modern alterations that hide the original structures of the Doges. The volume delves deeply into the nature of Gothic architecture, defining it not merely as a style but as a moral expression of the medieval craftsman's freedom and joy. Ruskin analyzes specific Venetian structures, including the Ducal Palace, the Rio Foscari House, and the Casa Loredan, praising their harmonious integration of Byzantine and Gothic elements. He also examines the artistic principles governing materials, particularly glass. He vehemently condemns the modern practice of painting on glass windows, arguing that it obscures the material's essential qualities of transparency and ductility. Instead, he advocates for designs that celebrate the lightness and color of glass, citing French windows of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries as the ideal standard. Ruskin further explores the personification of virtues and vices in art, comparing systems found in Dante, Spenser, and Italian frescoes. He details Dante's *Inferno*, highlighting the profound connection between sadness and punishment, and contrasts Dante's spiritual depth with later, more frivolous personifications. He notes the decline of faith marked by a shift from symbolism to personification, where abstract ideas like Faith and Charity are treated as saints. The volume concludes with a passionate defense of color and light in art, urging a return to a 'sanctity of Color' that respects the natural laws of materials. Ruskin rejects the 'barbarous' attempts to force glass into the role of oil painting, insisting that art must propose objects attainable with the given materials, thereby honoring their unique virtues and imperfections.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Travel
• Architecture