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

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

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

Ruskin's first catalogue of 300 works for the instruction of undergraduates and his notes on the use of particular examples.

Educational 1 cover

Ruskin's Catalogues: 1 object

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Ruskin assembled a diverse collection of artworks for his drawing school in Oxford, including watercolours by J.M.W. Turner and drawings by Ruskin himself.  He taught students to draw as a way of educating them in how to look at art and the world around them.  

Ruskin divided his Teaching Collection into four main series: Standard, Reference, Educational and Rudimentary. Each item was placed in a numbered frame, arranged in a set of cabinets, so that they all had a specific position in the Collection (although Ruskin often moved items about as his ideas changed). 

When incorporated into the Ashmolean’s collection in the last century, the works were removed from the frames and the sequence was lost.  Here, Ruskin's original catalogues, notes and instructions - in his chosen order and in his own words - are united with images of the works and links to modern curatorial descriptions.

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Lobster, Crab and Cucumber William Henry Hunt

  • Ruskin text

    150 Lobster and Crab. (W. Hunt)
  • Details

    Artist/maker
    William Henry Hunt (1790 - 1864)
    Object type
    drawing
    Material and technique
    watercolour and bodycolour on paper
    Dimensions
    147 x 266 mm
    Inscription
    Recto, bottom right, in watercolour: W HUNT
    Provenance

    John Ruskin

    No. of items
    1
    Accession no.
    BIRMG.1891P32
  • Subject terms allocated by curators:

    Subjects

  • References in which this object is cited include:

    References

    Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Educational Series (London: Smith, Elder, 1871), cat. Educational no. 150

Location

    • Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery

Position in Ruskin’s Collection

Ruskin's Catalogues

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