Ruskin To-day – Ruskin Today is an informal network devoted to promoting wider knowledge and understanding of the ideas of the great Victorian writer, reformer and artist, John Ruskin (1819-1900).

Ruskin To-Day is an informal organisation that exists to celebrate the life and ideas of the artist, critic and social reformer John Ruskin (1819-1900). It brings together the activities of the many different societies, academic institutions and individuals who share an interest in Ruskin and in the many different aspects of his work. This website serves as a noticeboard to draw attention to the many Ruskinian events that take place across the world.

JAMES DEARDEN: A JOHN RUSKIN COLLECTION

The antiquarian book dealer Justin Croft has produced a sale catalogue of the Ruskin collection of James Dearden, who died in 2021. It is in two parts, first, printed editions of Ruskin’s works, with some interesting rarities, and then Ruskin manuscripts, photographs, memorabilia and Dearden’s reference library. The catalogue is introduced by essays from Stuart Eagles and Stephen Wildman.

Justin Croft writes:” James Dearden (1931-2021) has been called rightly ‘the unofficial dean of Ruskin studies’ and was acknowledged as the foremost authority on Ruskin’s bibliography — publishing numerous scholarly articles over many years (often in the Book Collector) and generously making his expertise available to Ruskin scholars around the world. His monograph The Library of John Ruskin (2013) remains invaluable.”

Part I can be obtained at JC-Dearden-Ruskin-I.pdf

Part II will be available shortly.

“All Great Art is Praise”

A celebration in words and music of the 200^th Birthday of John Ruskin, 1819-1900

Readers:

Michael Palin and Dan Draper

Tenor:

Richard Edgar-Wilson

Coull Quartet:

Roger Coull (violin)

Philip Gallaway (violin)

Jonathan Barritt (viola)

Nicholas Roberts (cello)

Composer, and realiser of Ruskin’s words:

Sarah Rodgers

Visuals devised by Gavin Mackinnon-Little

Performance devised and directed by Robert Hewison

The evening at the Royal Academy was recorded on 8 February 2019

It is introduced by Rebecca Salter, now President of the Royal Academy

A recording of Sarah Rodgers’ “The King of the Golden River”, with Richard Edgar-Wilson and the Coull Quartet, is available at Sarah Rodgers, “Music for Tenor and String Quartet” SOMMCD 222

The Stones of Venice

Selected, introduced and read by Robert Hewison.

A reading in twenty episodes, sponsored by Sovereign Films, with special thanks to Donald Rosenfeld and Andreas Roald.

Listen here