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

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

Ruskin's Standard & Reference series (1872)

Exemplary works of art. In the catalogue of the Reference series, items marked 'M' are drawings "by my own Hand" (by Ruskin), P are photographs, E engravings and A by Ruskin's Assistant, Arthur Burgess.

Standard & Reference 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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Life-size Study of the Base of central Column of the Porch of San Fermo Maggiore, Verona John Wharlton Bunney

  • Ruskin text

    78 Base of central Pillar of Porch of San Fermo (real size)
  • Details

    Artist/maker
    John Wharlton Bunney (1828 - 1882)
    Object type
    drawing
    Material and technique
    watercolour and bodycolour over black chalk on pale brown wove paper
    Dimensions
    661 x 507 mm
    Associated place
    Inscription
    Recto:
    along the bottom, from the left, in graphite: Base of the centre Door column at San Fermo Verona drawn by John Bunney 1869 natural Size
    just to the left, in graphite: REF. | 78

    Verso:
    top left, in ink: 78
    towards bottom right, in graphite: REF. 78
    below centre, the Ruskin School's stamp

    Verso:
    top right, in graphite: 78
    towards bottom right, in graphite: REF. 78
    centre, the Ruskin School's stamp
    Provenance

    Presented by John Ruskin to the Ruskin Drawing School (University of Oxford), 1875; transferred from the Ruskin Drawing School to the Ashmolean Museum, c.1949.

    No. of items
    1
    Accession no.
    WA.RS.REF.078
  • Subject terms allocated by curators:

    Subjects

  • References in which this object is cited include:

    References

    Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Reference Series Including Temporarily the First Section of the Standard Series (London: Smith, Elder, [1872]), cat. Reference no. 78

    Ruskin, John, ‘The Ruskin Art Collection at Oxford: Catalogues, Notes and Instructions’, Edward T. Cook and Alexander Wedderburn, eds, The Works of John Ruskin: Library Edition, 39 (London: George Allen, 1903-1912), 21, cat. Reference no. 78

Location

    • Western Art Print Room

Position in Ruskin’s Collection

Ruskin's Catalogues

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