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

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

Introduction to this website

Cabinet and frames

John Ruskin assembled 1470 diverse works of art for use in the Drawing School he founded at Oxford in 1871.  They included drawings by himself and other artists, prints and photographs.  These were arranged in series and placed in special cabinets.

Use this website to browse through the cabinets.  Click on an image to read Ruskin's comments and instructions and to find out more about each object. 

Visit the Learning section for ideas for using the website and collection, including a video-based drawing course delivered by Stephen Farthing R.A.

In the Ruskin Now section you will find modern reinterpretations of the collection.

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