John Ruskin
08-Feb-1819
United Kingdom
Author
John Ruskin was an English painter and critic of the leading art of the Victorian era. A man of many computers, and a prominent social thinker he also wrote on various topics including geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, and political economy. A lover of nature, his works of art were occupied by plants, birds, built environments and he emphasized the connection between nature, art and society in his writings. The only son of a successful trader, he developed an early interest in the arts, heavily influenced by his father's collection of watercolor paintings. As a young man he was influenced by works by artists such as J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, and John Sell Cotman, and writings by preachers such as Charles Simeon, John Keble, Thomas Arnold, and John Henry Newman. He has also traveled extensively which encouraged his works of art. He received widespread recognition for what became the first volume of 'Daily Painters', a book of art criticism. The popularity of the book prompted him to add more ideas in the following years. In addition to art he had knowledge about many other subjects as well. He also published a series of social media articles on 'Cornhill Magazine' which he later compiled as 'Something This Last' and wrote a series of articles on economic topics, published in 'Fraser's Magazine'.
