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Ruskin's God Michael Wheeler (University of Southampton)

Ruskin's God By Michael Wheeler (University of Southampton)

Summary

Ruskin's God, first published in 1999, was the first full-length study of the impact that John Ruskin's religion had upon his writings. Michael Wheeler shows how Ruskin drew upon ancient wisdom, first to teach people how to see paintings, buildings and landscapes, and later to teach people how to live.

Ruskin's God Summary

Ruskin's God by Michael Wheeler (University of Southampton)

In this 1999 book, Michael Wheeler challenges critical orthodoxy by arguing that John Ruskin's writing is underpinned by a sustained trust in divine wisdom: a trust nurtured by his imaginative engagement with King Solomon and the temple in Jerusalem, and with the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. In Modern Painters, The Seven Lamps of Architecture and The Stones of Venice, belief in the wisdom of God the Father informed Ruskin's Evangelical natural theology and his celebration of Turner's landscape painting, while the wisdom of God the Son lay at the heart of his Christian aesthetics. Whereas 'the author of Modern Painters' sought to teach his readers how to see architecture, paintings and landscapes, the 'Victorian Solomon' whose religious life was troubled, and who created various forms of modern wisdom literature in works such as Unto this Last, The Queen of the Air and Fors Clavigera, wished to teach them how to live.

Ruskin's God Reviews

'Much the most important of the newer critical studies.' Clive Wilmer, The Times Literary Supplement
'A timely reminder of a Ruskin who has been to some degree neglected.' J R Watson, Expository Times
'Wheeler's thorough knowledge of Victorian theology lends authority to Ruskin's God, not only as a comprehensive treatment of Ruskin's religious thought, but also as a resource for further scholarship on Victorian literature and religion. ' David Hanson, Modern Philology
'A learned, heavily footnoted monograph that probes Ruskin's developing attitudes towards religion and myth. ' Asa Briggs, The Times Higher Education Supplement
'A scholarly tour de force.' Peter Stiles, Christianity and Literature

Table of Contents

List of plates; Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction: 'To enlighten a People by your Wisdom': the divine commission; Part I. The author of Modern Painters: 2. 'The Shechinah of the blue': in God's temple; 3. 'The Peace of God' and a Christian theory of art; 4. 'The Book-Temple': a Protestant beholder of St Mark's; 5. 'True sacred art' and Christ the great high priest; 6. Solomon's 'Christian royalty': a rite of passage in Turin; Part II. Victorian Solomon: 7. Solomon's 'maxims concerning wealth'; 8. Science, myth and a creative wisdom; 9. St George, St Francis and the rule of love and wisdom; 10. Fragments of Christendom in Venice and Amiens; 11. The 'visible Heaven' and apocalyptic wisdom; Appendix; Index.

Additional information

NPB9780521574143
9780521574143
0521574145
Ruskin's God by Michael Wheeler (University of Southampton)
New
Hardback
Cambridge University Press
1999-11-28
324
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
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