John Ruskin

Sale, London, Sotheby's, 20 November 2000, lot 343;
where acquired by the late owner

Where the sheet has been exposed to light it has darkened. There are several minor foxmarks, The work has not been laid down.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Ruskin’s interest in nature developed at a young age. It was not, however, until the 1870s that he planned a book devoted to botany, entitled Proserpina. He executed the present work in 1872, while living at his new home Brantwood on Conisiton Water and it shows him avoiding a formal scientific approach to botanical draughtsmanship and instead concentrating on the basic elements of form and colour in order to create a truthful impression of the simple and pure beauty of the common rush. The year 1872 was a testing one for Ruskin as his relationship with Rose la Touche had reached a point of crisis. During this time, he noted that his only comfort was his great appreciation of the natural world, writing ‘I am entirely dependent for daily happiness upon the sensual qualities of form or colour; that when I want them, I take them either from the sky or the fields.'¹

1. J. Ruskin, Modern Painters, vol. II, 1883, the preface