John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and political economy.
Ruskin's writing styles and literary forms were equally varied. He wrote essays and treatises, poetry and lectures, travel guides and manuals, letters and even a fairy tale. He also made detailed sketches and paintings of rocks, plants, birds, landscapes, architectural structures and ornamentation. The elaborate style that characterised his earliest writing on art gave way in time to plainer language designed to communicate his ideas more effectively. In all of his writing, he emphasised the connections between nature, art and society.
Ruskin was hugely influential in the latter half of the 19th century and up to the First World War. After a period of relative decline, his reputation has steadily improved since the 1960s with the publication of numerous academic studies of his work. Today, his ideas and concerns are widely recognised as having anticipated interest in environmentalism, sustainability and craft.
Ruskin first came to widespread attention with the first volume of Modern Painters (1843), an extended essay in defence of the work of J. M. W. Turner in which he argued that the principal role of the artist is "truth to nature". From the 1850s, he championed the Pre-Raphaelites, who were influenced by his ideas. His work increasingly focused on social and political issues. Unto This Last (1860, 1862) marked the shift in emphasis. In 1869, Ruskin became the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Oxford, where he established the Ruskin School of Drawing. In 1871, he began his monthly "letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain", published under the title Fors Clavigera (1871–1884). In the course of this complex and deeply personal work, he developed the principles underlying his ideal society. As a result, he founded the Guild of St George, an organisation that endures today.
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Some of their strengths
John Ruskin has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Creative, Altruistic, Intuitive, Imaginative, Compassionate, Caring, and Intelligent.
Idealistic and Altruistic
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, John Ruskin is someone who is an idealist and an altruist who possesses an innovative, intellectual, and analytical mind, and who approaches life in an optimistic and easygoing manner. A person who is charismatic and resourceful.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know John Ruskin well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Organized and Achievement-oriented
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe John Ruskin as someone who is organized, goal-oriented, practical, and persevering.
Who is hardworking, intellectual, and easygoing, who loves higher education and learning and sharing ideas with others, and who loves healthy competition.
Charismatic and Playful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, John Ruskin is someone who is used to being the center of attention, and who has a playful approach to dealing with life.
They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.
Altruistic and Innovative
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, John Ruskin tends to be someone who sacrifices things for the good of others and wants to do "good" in the world. Who is often thought of as an innovator or rebel who thrives when trying to chase a breakthrough of some sort, who has a clear and sound mind, and who can be charming and sociable.
Some of John Ruskin's challenges
While John Ruskin has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, John Ruskin can be Rebellious, Emotional, Emotionally Distant, Standoffish, Callous, Selfish, and Pleasure-seeking.
Rebellious and Emotionally Distant
One of John Ruskin's key challenges is that they are someone who can be rebellious and emotionally distant.
Callous and Selfish
John Ruskin is someone who can be standoffish, pessimistic, and ruthless, who can have difficulty concentrating and be impatient, can have difficulty discovering the keys to personal contentment, and who can have a tendency to overwork and hoard wealth and possessions.
Serious and Callous
Finally, John Ruskin also can be too giving, come across as too "high and mighty", and can have a hard time expressing feelings.
