As Conchas de Ruskin

Christopher  Donaldson

doi:10.37916/arq.urb.vi29.477

Authors

Christopher Donaldson

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37916/arq.urb.vi29.477

Keywords:

Science, Natural history, Collections, Aesthetics

Abstract

John Ruskin (1819–1900) assembled an impressive collection of shells over the course of his life. During his final years he displayed some of the fruits of his labours at Brantwood, his home overlooking Coniston Water in the northwest of England. Ruskin valued these shells for their beauty. He put them in a glass cabinet alongside geological specimens, historical artefacts and works of art. But Ruskin’s interest in his shell collection was not just superficial. In this essay, I ponder the deeper meaning Ruskin discovered in the shells he collected, both marine and terrestrial, and I suggest how his shell studies reflect principles developed in his writings on art and architecture, as well as his attitude towards the natural sciences. In order to stake an approach to these issues, I begin this essay by considering the remarks of other writers who have commented on the beauty and curiosity of shells. I then proceed to contrast these aesthetic appreciations with Ruskin’s more ethically informed contemplations.

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Author Biography

Christopher Donaldson

É professor-pesquisador da Universidade Lancaster desde 2012, envolvido na pesquisa do ERC-funded Spatial Humanities project. Trabalhou na University of Birmingham entre 2014 e 2016. Formou-se nos estados unidos, recebendo seu BA na Penn State University em 2004 e seu PhD na Stanford University em 2012. Sua pesquisa concentra-se nos séculos 18 e 19 no campo da história e cultura. Interessado na mudança das percepções da paisagem e do ambiente durante este período através da produção de guias turísticos, livros topográficos, de artes e literatura. Desenvolve e é líder da pesquisa no The Ruskin – Library, Museum and Research Centre, além de editor da revista The Ruskin Review e co-editor da Digital Forum para o Journal of Victorian Culture.

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