Ruskin's first catalogue of 300 works for the instruction of undergraduates and his notes on the use of particular examples.
Cluster of leaves (real size) from the foreground of Mantegna’s picture of the Madonna, with the Magdalene and St. John, in the National Gallery. (By my assistant, Mr. W. Ward.)
We were both of us, however, foiled, successively, in trying to get the exquisite outlines of this cluster. But it will give you some idea of the symmetry and precision of Mantegna’s design, and of his grave though, in this copy, too pale, colour. Copy it as well as you can.
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.
Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Educational Series (London: Smith, Elder, 1871), cat. Educational no. IX.2.G
Ruskin, John, Catalogue of the Educational Series (London: Spottiswoode, 1874), cat. Educational no. 221
Ruskin, John, Catalogue of Examples Arranged for Elementary Study in the University Galleries (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1870), cat. Educational no. 42
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. 221
We were both of us, however, foiled, successively, in trying to get the exquisite outlines of this cluster. But it will give you some idea of the symmetry and precision of Mantegna’s design, and of his grave though pale colour. Copy it as well as you can.