#john-ruskin — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #john-ruskin, aggregated by home.social.
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Whistler at Tate Britain
Back to the hotel for a short siesta after spending most of the day at Tate Britain, where there is a special exhibition of works by and about James McNeill Whistler. The main collection at Tate Britain is free, but the Whistler exhibition costs £24 to see. It’s well worth it though.
The first picture shows Whistler’s famous portrait of his mother, who seems to be holding court. My favourite pieces, however, the Nocturnes, two of which I have mentioned on this blog before. There are three shown below, but photographs don’t do them justice at all. The appearance of the paint when seen close up is quite remarkable, a sort of translucent quality to it even when the picture is very dark. Whistler was one of the first artists to really master painting in the dark without using moonlight or other obvious illumination.
The last of these is particularly interesting to me. When the great American songwriter Billy Strayhorn saw the beautifully evocative painting (above) of one of the bridges over the River Thames, it inspired him to write an equally evocative song to be performed by his longstanding musical collaborator and friend Duke Ellington. The song was written in 1941, but it was only years later that he realized that he had named it after the wrong bridge. The painting was of Battersea Bridge; but he had named the song Chelsea Bridge, a much less romantic location. Chelsea Bridge is an intriguing tune, based on minor sixth chords voiced via their third inversions, it sounds almost atonal but very evocative, just like the painting.
In one of the video segments played during the exhibition we hear the actor Anton Lesser quoting Whistler with words the effect that he saw colours like notes on a keyboard; he started naming his paintings after musical works, e.g. “Symphony in White” before he got to his masterpieces, the Nocturnes.
I wrote about another of the Nocturnes here. Nocturne in Black and Gold, in the same series as the third picture above, is famous for having been at the centre of a libel case. The influential art critic John Ruskin hated it and accused Whistler of “flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face”. Whistler sued for damages (though he couldn’t really afford to). He won the case against Ruskin, but the outcome was financially disastrous for him because he was awarded only one farthing in damages and was bankrupted.
Tate Britain has an extensive permanent collection of primarily English art from about 1600 onwards, not least a huge collection of works by J.M.W. Turner. It’s fascinating to see so many of these together, charting this extraordinary artist’s evolution from brilliant if conventional upstart to pioneering impressionist. Along the way Turner’s interest in conventional themes began to wane in favour of the interplay between sea and clouds, to the extent that his works began to look like abstracts. There is in my mind a strong influence on Whistler. This one, ostensibly a seascape with a distant shore, reminds me of Rothko.
#BillyStrayhorn #ChelseaBridge #JMWTurner #JamesMcNeillWhistler #JohnRuskin #TateBritain -
Whistler at Tate Britain
Back to the hotel for a short siesta after spending most of the day at Tate Britain, where there is a special exhibition of works by and about James McNeill Whistler. The main collection at Tate Britain is free, but the Whistler exhibition costs £24 to see. It’s well worth it though.
The first picture shows Whistler’s famous portrait of his mother, who seems to be holding court. My favourite pieces, however, the Nocturnes, two of which I have mentioned on this blog before. There are three shown below, but photographs don’t do them justice at all. The appearance of the paint when seen close up is quite remarkable, a sort of translucent quality to it even when the picture is very dark. Whistler was one of the first artists to really master painting in the dark without using moonlight or other obvious illumination.
The last of these is particularly interesting to me. When the great American songwriter Billy Strayhorn saw the beautifully evocative painting (above) of one of the bridges over the River Thames, it inspired him to write an equally evocative song to be performed by his longstanding musical collaborator and friend Duke Ellington. The song was written in 1941, but it was only years later that he realized that he had named it after the wrong bridge. The painting was of Battersea Bridge; but he had named the song Chelsea Bridge, a much less romantic location. Chelsea Bridge is an intriguing tune, based on minor sixth chords voiced via their third inversions, it sounds almost atonal but very evocative, just like the painting.
In one of the video segments played during the exhibition we hear the actor Anton Lesser quoting Whistler with words the effect that he saw colours like notes on a keyboard; he started naming his paintings after musical works, e.g. “Symphony in White” before he got to his masterpieces, the Nocturnes.
I wrote about another of the Nocturnes here. Nocturne in Black and Gold, in the same series as the third picture above, is famous for having been at the centre of a libel case. The influential art critic John Ruskin hated it and accused Whistler of “flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face”. Whistler sued for damages (though he couldn’t really afford to). He won the case against Ruskin, but the outcome was financially disastrous for him because he was awarded only one farthing in damages and was bankrupted.
Tate Britain has an extensive permanent collection of primarily English art from about 1600 onwards, not least a huge collection of works by J.M.W. Turner. It’s fascinating to see so many of these together, charting this extraordinary artist’s evolution from brilliant if conventional upstart to pioneering impressionist. Along the way Turner’s interest in conventional themes began to wane in favour of the interplay between sea and clouds, to the extent that his works began to look like abstracts. There is in my mind a strong influence on Whistler. This one, ostensibly a seascape with a distant shore, reminds me of Rothko.
#BillyStrayhorn #ChelseaBridge #JMWTurner #JamesMcNeillWhistler #JohnRuskin #TateBritain -
Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.
-- John Ruskin -
Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.
-- John Ruskin -
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
When a man is wrapped up in himself he makes a pretty small package. -John Ruskin, author, art critic, and social reformer (8 Feb 1819-1900) -
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
When a man is wrapped up in himself he makes a pretty small package. -John Ruskin, author, art critic, and social reformer (8 Feb 1819-1900) -
8 lutego 1819 roku urodził się John Ruskin – brytyjski pisarz, malarz, filozof, historyk sztuki i architektury. Uznawany za jednego z najważniejszych krytyków XIX wieku, inspirował filozofię społecznego piękna i wpłynął m. in. na prerafaelitów, ruch Arts and Crafts, a także Gandhiego. (fot. Wikipedia) #JohnRuskin #historia #krytykasztuki #malarstwo
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8 lutego 1819 roku urodził się John Ruskin – brytyjski pisarz, malarz, filozof, historyk sztuki i architektury. Uznawany za jednego z najważniejszych krytyków XIX wieku, inspirował filozofię społecznego piękna i wpłynął m. in. na prerafaelitów, ruch Arts and Crafts, a także Gandhiego. (fot. Wikipedia) #JohnRuskin #historia #krytykasztuki #malarstwo
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Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.
-- John Ruskin -
Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.
-- John Ruskin -
Imagina ser introducido como uno de los grandes maestros de la prosa inglesa para luego tener una sección titulada: Interés por la belleza de las niñas.
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Imagina ser introducido como uno de los grandes maestros de la prosa inglesa para luego tener una sección titulada: Interés por la belleza de las niñas.
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Rencontre avec John Ruskin en 5 minutes (en anglais)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x40l1ov8hfA #JohnRuskin #ArtsAndCrafts -
Rencontre avec John Ruskin en 5 minutes (en anglais)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x40l1ov8hfA #JohnRuskin #ArtsAndCrafts -
“ #JohnRuskin, the greatest of #architectural critics, observed that a #nation writes its #history in many books, but that the book of its #buildings is the most enduring” www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Why Trump Tore Down the East W... -
“ #JohnRuskin, the greatest of #architectural critics, observed that a #nation writes its #history in many books, but that the book of its #buildings is the most enduring” www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Why Trump Tore Down the East W... -
The Ruskin Monument, Friar's Crag, Derwentwater, Cumberland, c.1920s - RP Postcard
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The Ruskin Monument, Friar's Crag, Derwentwater, Cumberland, c.1920s - RP Postcard
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Monument to John Ruskin, Coniston Churchyard, Lancashire, c.1920 - Frith's Postcard
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Monument to John Ruskin, Coniston Churchyard, Lancashire, c.1920 - Frith's Postcard
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Here's a clearer view of my profile header showing a variety of shells from the Nottingham Natural History Museum collection at Wollaton Hall.
All of the specimens pictured once belonged to the polymath John Ruskin (1819-1900).
#NottNatHist #museum #shells #naturalhistory #nature #collections #JohnRuskin #WollatonHall #Nottingham #nature @museum
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Here's a clearer view of my profile header showing a variety of shells from the Nottingham Natural History Museum collection at Wollaton Hall.
All of the specimens pictured once belonged to the polymath John Ruskin (1819-1900).
#NottNatHist #museum #shells #naturalhistory #nature #collections #JohnRuskin #WollatonHall #Nottingham #nature @museum
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L’Art nouveau ou l’idéal d’œuvre d’art totale
https://www.philomag.com/articles/lart-nouveau-ou-lideal-doeuvre-dart-totale
#ArtNouveau #bijoux #verre #Joaillerie #art #JohnRuskin #WilliamMorris
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Thomas M Rooke (1842-1942), who worked for both #JohnRuskin and #EdwardBurneJones, produced this impression of #AlbertGate in 1868 - executed in pencil, pen, ink and #watercolour.
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Part of St Mark Venice, 1846 #romanticism #johnruskin https://www.wikiart.org/en/john-ruskin/part-of-st-mark-venice-1846
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Necessity
One of the major obstacles impeding any positive future change in our lives is that we are too busy with our current work or activity. Levi quit his tax-work, Peter stopped fishing at a lake, Paul ceased being a priest. They all left their jobs because they thought it was necessary.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a1069.
#7ForSunday #ChangesAndResults #JohnRuskin #Quotes -
#Childrenbooks | #Childrensbooks | #BooksForLittleChildren | #BooksForToddlers | #EarlyReading | #EmergentLiteracies | #JohnRuskin | #LewisCarroll (https://snrk.de/some-texts/) | #NurseryAlice | #TheNurseryAlice | #AliceInWonderland
Here are two Quotes — one from John Ruskin and the other one from Lewis Carroll — about how little children should handle books. Which quote do you like more, Ruskin's or Carroll's?
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"That which seems to be wealth may in verity be only the gilded index of far-reaching ruin."
—John Ruskin. Unto This Last (1860) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unto_This_Last. Full text: https://archive.org/details/ruskinuntothislast/page/58/mode/1up?view=theater. #JohnRuskin #UntoThisLast #Quotations #Quotes -
The way
The way to true knowledge does not go through soft grass covered with flowers. To find it, a person must climb steep mountains.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a1022.
#7ForSunday #JohnRuskin #Quotes #Wisdom -
What happens now
Do not bother about what will happen someday, somewhere, in the far away distance, in a future time; think and be very attentive to what happens now, here, in this place.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a1008.
#Efficacy #JohnRuskin #Quotes -
Not your soul
You cannot sell your talent, your genius; as soon as you do, you are a prostitute. You can sell your work, but not your soul.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a1002.
#Creativity #JohnRuskin #Quotes -
Wise consumption
Wise consumption is much more complicated than wise production. What five people will produce, one person can very easily consume, and the question for each individual and for every nation is not how are we to produce, but how our products are to be consumed.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a969.
#JohnRuskin #Quotes #ReasonAndRationality -
Sculpting
The sculptor must paint with his chisel: Half his touches are not to realize, but to put power into, the form. They are touches of light and shadow, and raise a ridge, or sink a hollow, not to represent an actual ridge or hollow, but to get a line of ight, or a spot of darkness.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a894.
#Creativity #JohnRuskin #Quotes -
Advancing
He only is advancing in life whose heart is getting softer, whose blood warmer, whose brain quicker, whose spirit is entering into living peace.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a864.
#JohnRuskin #Progress #Quotes -
The Desk of John Ruskin https://www.iancylkowski.com/blog/2019/7/4/the-desk-of-john-ruskin
John Ruskin bought the, at the time, rather dilapidated Brantwood house in 1871 for £1,500, roughly equivalent to £175,222 in today’s money.
#architecture #interior #photography #history #historical #johnruskin #brantwood #coniston #lakedistrict #cumbria #uk #britain #england
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Ready servant of his mind
A man is one whose body has been trained to be the ready servant of his mind; Whose passions are trained to be the servants of his will; Who enjoys the beautiful, loves truth, hates wrong, loves to do good, and respects others as himself.
~ John Ruskinslip:4a55.
#JohnRuskin #ManhoodAndHonor #Quotes -
One’s legacy
Therefore when we build let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such Work as our descendants will thank us for and let us think as we lay Stone on Stone that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them and that men will say as they look upon the labor and the wrought substance of them, ‘See this our fathers did for us.’
~ John Ruskinslip:4a115.
That’s sure has a nice ring to it. We need more people with a rock-solid work ethic, who are self-starters, able to be detail oriented, capable of anticipating problems and acting in advance, and who can think things through. These are things worth striving for.
All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.
~ Blaise Pascalslip:4a517.
The time-sink of video games, the distraction of mindless television, the constant interaction with others (twitter, text messages, etc) without real communication, the seeking of incessant stimulation without actually feeling anything, the inundation with information with no chance for finding knowledge; These things we can do without.
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#BlaisePascal #JohnRuskin #Wisdom