The Seven Lamps of Architecture - Tracery from the Campanile of Giotto.
By James Charles Armytage, John Ruskin
1880 – 1910
Accession number: 1978P521.9
Photo-engraving from published folio.
Width: 300 mm
Height: 440 mm
Information
Ruskin published 'The Seven Lamps of Architecture' in 1849 (Smith, Elder, and Co., London). It was his first book to discuss architectural theory. The volume examines the ways in which architectural decoration symbolises the state of society. It was so successful that it was republished in new editions in 1855 and 1880. This is one of a group of 15 engravings of the illustrations from the book. The majority were re-engraved for the second edition by R. P. Cuff from drawings made by Ruskin for the original 1849 edition of the book. This plate was used as the frontispiece for the second and subsequent editions. It was engraved by James Charles Armytage (1802-1897) after a new drawing by Ruskin. This group of engravings appears to have been published in a separate folio without the text, testifying to the popularity of Ruskin's book and the value of the illustrations as works of art in their own right.
- Accessioned in 1978.
Makers
| Association | Artist | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Engraver | James Charles Armytage | - |
| After | John Ruskin | - |
Inscriptions
| Type | Position(s) | Method | Date(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plate. IX. / J. R. del. // J. C. Armytage sc. / TRACERY FROM THE CAMPANILE OF GIOTTO, / at Florence. | ||||
| Inscription | - | Printed | - | Ink. |
Literature
| Author(s) | Date(s) | Publisher | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Seven Lamps of Architecture | |||
| John Ruskin | 1880 | George Allen, Orpington and London | repr. as frontispiece |
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