View from my Window at Mornex 1863

John Ruskin painted this watercolor, View from my Window at Mornex, using materials that were becoming increasingly available during the industrial revolution. Watercolor paints are made from finely ground pigments, often minerals, mixed with a binder like gum arabic. The paper Ruskin chose also played a key role. Its absorbency allowed for the delicate washes of color that create the atmospheric perspective here. The layered application of translucent washes builds depth, capturing the nuances of light on the distant mountains. Ruskin was fascinated by geology and keenly aware of the natural world’s fragility. His close observation is evident in the details of the landscape. Consider, too, that while Ruskin was an aesthetic conservative, resistant to many aspects of modernity, his art depended on industrialized production of artist’s materials. By attending to both Ruskin's artistic skill and the social context of his materials, we can better appreciate the complex relationship between art, industry, and our perception of nature.