John Ruskin 1819-1900

The present drawing may have been made in connection with Ruskin's Oxford lectures in the early 1870's.  During these lectures he used his own drawings to provide practical instruction to artisans, in this case 'Excercises in Colour with Shade on Patterns of Plumage and Scale.'  For these lectures, Ruskin even had wooden models of feathers made (Brantwood House, Coniston)