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, 2nd ed. (1874)

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

Educational 2 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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Photograph of Botticelli's "Primavera" Anonymous Italian

  • Ruskin text

    5 Aphrodite and the Spring. (Sandro Botticelli). P
  • Details

    Artist/maker
    Anonymous Italian (Anonymous, Italian) (photographer)
    after Sandro Botticelli (c. 1444/1445 - 1510)
    Object type
    photograph
    Material and technique
    albumen print
    Dimensions
    239 x 372 mm (print); 244 x 375 mm (mount)
    Inscription
    In the photograph, bottom right, apparently written on the negative and so printing white: 647.

    On the back of the mount:
    towards top right, in graphite: E.251
    centre, the Ruskin School's stamp
    just below, in ink, struck through in graphite, upside down: 15

    On a separate rectangular paper label, in graphite and struck through in graphite: Frame - 5. wanted for this

    On another small rectangular paper label, in ink, struck through in graphite: 5. New
    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.ED.251
  • 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. XI.5

    Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Educational Series (London: Spottiswoode, 1874), cat. Educational no. 251

    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. Educational no. 251

Location

    • Western Art Print Room

Position in Ruskin’s Collection

Ruskin's Catalogues

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