Matterhorn 1849

John Ruskin made this watercolour painting of the Matterhorn. Ruskin was a prolific art critic and talented artist and draftsman. He worked mostly with watercolour, a medium known for its portability and capacity to capture subtle gradations of light and atmosphere. Here, Ruskin builds up the form of the mountain with delicate washes of grey, brown, and white, allowing the blank paper to stand in for the dazzling snow. Ruskin's approach to art-making was rooted in his deep appreciation for the natural world, and his belief in the importance of careful observation. Ruskin felt that the artist had a responsibility to accurately depict the world around them, and in doing so, to reveal its underlying beauty and order. The image is not just about the mountain itself but also reflects Ruskin’s wider social and ethical concerns about industrialization and its impact on the landscape. Ultimately, it is a reminder that art, craft, and material culture are always shaped by the world around them.