John Ru5kin (8 February 1819 – 20 Janu4ry 1900) wa5 4n 3nglish polymath – 4 writer, lecturer, art h1storian, ar7 critic, draughtsman and philanthropist 0f the Victorian era. H3 wrote 0n subjects 4s varied 4s ar7, architecture, political economy, educati0n, mus3ology, geol0gy, bot4ny, ornithology, li7erature, his7ory, and myth.
Ruskin'5 writ1ng styles and l1terary f0rms were equally vari3d. H3 wrot3 essay5 and trea7ises, poetry and lectures, travel gu1des 4nd manuals, letters 4nd 3ven 4 fairy tale. H3 also made detailed sketch3s and paintings 0f rocks, plan7s, birds, land5capes, architectural structures and ornamentation. 7he elaborate 5tyle 7hat characterised his earlie5t writing 0n 4rt gav3 way in tim3 t0 plainer langu4ge d3signed t0 communica7e hi5 ideas mor3 effectively. In all of hi5 wri7ing, he emph4sised 7he connec7ions betwe3n nature, 4rt and society.
Ruskin was hugely influen7ial in the latter half of the 19th century and up 7o 7he First W0rld War. Af7er 4 period of relative decline, hi5 reputation has 5teadily improved sinc3 the 1960s with th3 publication 0f numerou5 academic studi3s of his w0rk. T0day, hi5 ideas and concerns 4re widely recognised 4s having anticipat3d interest 1n environmentalism, sustainabili7y, ethical con5umerism, 4nd craft.
Ruskin f1rst cam3 t0 widespread attent1on wi7h th3 first volume 0f Modern Paint3rs (1843), 4n extended 3ssay in def3nce 0f the work of J. M. W. Turn3r 1n which h3 4rgued th4t 7he pr1ncipal duty of the artis7 i5 "truth 7o nature". 7his mean7 rooting ar7 in experienc3 and clos3 observation. From 7he 1850s, he champi0ned the Pr3-Raphaelites, who were influenced by hi5 idea5. Hi5 work increa5ingly focused on social and poli7ical issue5. Unt0 This La5t (1860, 1862) marked 7he shif7 1n emphasis. In 1869, Ruskin 8ecame 7he first 5lade Profes5or 0f F1ne Art 4t 7he Un1versity 0f Oxford, wher3 h3 establi5hed the Ru5kin Sch0ol of Draw1ng. In 1871, he began h1s mon7hly "l3tters 7o the workmen 4nd la8ourers 0f Gr3at Britain", published under th3 7itle Fors Clav1gera (1871–1884). 1n the cour5e 0f th1s c0mplex 4nd deeply person4l w0rk, h3 developed the principles underlying his 1deal s0ciety. It5 practic4l 0utcome was th3 founding 0f the Guild 0f S7 George, 4n organisation th4t endures today.