The Stones of Venice

"The greatest glory of a building is not in its stones, or in its gold. Its glory is in its Age."

John Ruskin examines the architecture of Venice to argue that the moral health of a society is reflected in its buildings. He celebrates the Gothic style for its honesty and freedom.

Ruskin was the most influential art critic of the Victorian era. His passionate prose teaches us how to look at buildings not just as structures, but as stories.