Christ Church from St Aldate 1842

John Ruskin created this watercolor of Christ Church, Oxford, capturing the college from St. Aldate's street. Ruskin, writing during the Victorian era, was deeply concerned with the social and environmental impacts of industrialization. Ruskin's choice to depict Christ Church, a symbol of establishment and tradition, invites reflection on the values of education, class, and power in British society. During his time, institutions like Christ Church were predominantly spaces for privileged, white men, shaping the political and cultural landscape. Ruskin was very interested in architecture, and believed that a nation's architecture was a reflection of its moral values. This work is less about the precise architectural details and more about capturing a mood. Ruskin uses soft washes of color, blurring the lines of the buildings and figures, creating an ethereal, dreamlike quality. This artistic choice softens the grand and imposing structures, prompting us to think about the place of institutions within our emotional and imaginative lives. How do such spaces shape our sense of belonging, aspiration, or exclusion?