The Elements of Drawing, John Ruskin’s teaching collection at Oxford

The Elements of Drawing, John Ruskin’s teaching collection at Oxford

Browse: 1470 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

The Northern Arch of the West Entrance of Amiens Cathedral John Ruskin

Location

    • Western Art Print Room

Position in Ruskin’s Collection

Ruskin's Catalogues

  • Ruskin's Educational series, 1st ed. (1871)

    26 Amiens Cathedral. Northern Arch of west Entrance, sketched in 1856. M
  • Ruskin's Educational series, 2nd ed. (1874)

    51. Amiens Cathedral. Northern arch of west entrance, sketched in 1856. M
  • Ruskin's Catalogue of Examples (1870)

    24. North porch of the west front of the Cathedral of Amiens. (R.) Sketch taken before its restoration.

    I introduce you to Gothic sculpture by this memorial, now valuable, slight as it is, of what was, at the time the sketch was made, one of the most beautiful things in all the world. The colour of the front of Amiens, in 1856, was an exquisitely soft grey touched with golden lichen; and the sheltered sculpture was as fresh as when first executed, only the exposed parts broken or mouldering into forms which made them more beautiful than if perfect. All is now destroyed; and even the sharp, pure rose-moulding (of which hardly a petal was injured) cut to pieces, and, for the most part, replaced by a modern design.

    Draw this rose-moulding with pencil, and the top of the gable with colour.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum