Shrubs and Trees in Rocky Landscape c. 1845

This drawing of shrubs and trees in a rocky landscape was made by John Ruskin with graphite and watercolor on paper. Ruskin was a great champion of close observation, and that comes across here, in his rendering of the rocks and foliage. You can almost feel the wiry quality of those scrubby trees. It’s interesting to see how the qualities of the graphite and watercolor support Ruskin's artistic vision. The graphite allows for meticulous detail and precision, capturing the rugged texture of the rocks and the intricate patterns of the foliage. The watercolor, with its fluid and translucent nature, adds depth and atmosphere to the landscape, creating a sense of light and shadow that animates the scene. Ruskin’s sensitivity to nature also aligned with his social critique. He promoted the idea that hand work, attentive to the world around us, was morally superior to industrial production. For Ruskin, the way something was made, and the attention that was paid in the process, was just as important as the end result.