To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters
About this ebook
John Ruskin - born 200 years ago, in February 1819 - was the greatest critic of his age: a critic not only of art and architecture but of society and life. But his writings - on beauty and truth, on work and leisure, on commerce and capitalism, on life and how to live it - can teach us more than ever about how to see the world around us clearly and how to live it.
Dr Suzanne Fagence Cooper delves into Ruskin's writings and uncovers the dizzying beauty and clarity of his vision. Whether he was examining the exquisite carvings of a medieval cathedral or the mass-produced wares of Victorian industry, chronicling the beauties of Venice and Florence or his own descent into old age and infirmity, Ruskin saw vividly the glories and the contradictions of life, and taught us how to see them as well.
About the author
Dr. Suzanne Fagence Cooper is a writer, broadcaster and curator with expertise in 19th and 20th century British art and culture. She spent 12 years at the V&A Museum, researching the Victorian collections, and is in demand as historical consultant for TV and film. She is an invited lecturer for the Arts Society and Cunard voyages. Suzanne was Research Curator for Ruskin, Turner & the Storm Cloud (York Art Gallery, 2019). She has written The Model Wife: Effie Gray, Ruskin & Millais and To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters. Her latest book is At Home with Jane and William Morris. She is curating a new exhibition, 'The Beauty of the Earth: May, Jane & William Morris' for The Arc, Winchester, opening November 2025. Follow her on Instagram & Bluesky @suzannefagence www.suzannefagencecooper.blogspot.com
