Jennifer Furr

Final Indie Project Compare/Contrast John Ruskin and

Denman Ross
February 23, 2015
Philosophies
John Ruskin and Denman Waldo Ross may have had many
differences in their theories and philosophies, but one thing they
both believed in was order. Ruskin believed in unity and
proportion, and that symmetry and proportion were elements that
made things beautiful. Ross believed that order was synonymous
with pure design. In the practice of Pure Design, we aim at Order
and hope for Beauty (Ross, 1907, p.5).
Ruskin had several theories concerning the aesthetic, such
as his Vital Beauty theory and his Typical Beauty theory. Vital
beauty is just basically the beauty of living things, whereas typical
beauty is the beauty of forms and their qualities. Throughout the
whole of the organic creation, every being in a perfect state
exhibits certain appearances or evidences of happiness; and is in
its nature, its desires, its modes of nourishment, habitation, and
death, illustrative or expressive of certain moral dispositions or
principles (Landow, 1971, para.3).
Typical beauty, according to Ruskin, was things that were
aesthetically pleasing mostly because they represented a divine
nature in their form. Vital beauty, however, was more about
expression than form, mainly the expression of happiness.
Ruskins religious beliefs shaped all of his views about art, and all
of his philosophies, as well. He believed that mans true beauty
can be seen in his face because mans features show his
intellectual and spiritual nature. However, Ruskin thought that a
painter should only show emotion in portraiture for a deeper
reason, such as showing character. He also believed that artists

should avoid darker subject matter, such as scenes of hell, war, or

other forms of violence.
Ruskin did not believe in variety in artistic expression, unless
is promoted unity within a piece. Unity and order were very
important to him, as he believed that proportion, symmetry, and
balance were all components of beauty. Ruskin was different from
others in the art education field, in that he did not think that art
forms depended upon imitation. Art does not imitate objects or
phenomena; it states facts about them (Landow, 1971, para.
25).
Denman Waldo Ross believed that Art was all about thinking,
ideas, and practicing. He thought that Art was not about things,
but about thoughts. Ross believed that painting was not just
about copying things you see, but thinking about those things in
lines and paint, and expressing your ideas about them. The end
and aim of Art is the attainment of excellence in thinking and in a
technical performanceGood painting means good thinking
followed by right actions in the process and progress of the work,
from the beginning of it to the end of it (Ross, 1912, p.3).
Ross thought that in order for a painter to express himself
successfully, he would have to know which materials to use and
the correct way to use them. He also thought that artists needed
to study and know the principles of design, and to know how
other artists had done things that they had done well. Ross was
obsessed with order, and believed that we teach order through
design. He also believed we need order in our thinking and
actions, and that we should avoid disorder as much as possible.
Ross said that if we do not understand materials and methods,
and have no technical training, then our performances will be as
crude as they are empty.
Approaches to Art Education

Ruskin and Ross had very different approaches to Art

education. They both had interesting and effective approaches,
but they did not have much in common. Ruskins approaches
were based on his religious and social views, whereas Rosss
approaches were based on improving the system. One thing they
had in common in this area was that they were both focused on
the students and what they could do to help them the most.
Ruskins goals as an educator went hand in hand with his
goals of social reform. His educational vision and philosophies
were inspired by the same moral and religious aesthetics that
governed all of his work. Ruskin believed that learning should be
active, and deeply desired for his students and readers of his
books to be able to clearly see and comprehend his subject
matter. As a result, Ruskin provided numerous visual examples in
his books and in his classes, of the principles or subjects he was
teaching. What sets John Ruskins approach to education apart is
its combination of ancient wisdom with Ruskins personal vision
and mythology, and with the moral aesthetic that governs all his
work, from art criticism to social reform (Atwood, 2013, para 9 ).
He believed that since no two people are alike, they should not be
taught in the exact same way. Ruskin used humor in his teaching,
self-deprecation, digressed frequently from his topic, and in doing
so created feelings of intimacy with his students and/or readers.
Ross said that the teacher of Art is first of all a showman
and his talking and writing about Art is without effect if he cannot
show us what Art is (Ross, 1912, p.12). Ross believed that the
best hope for the future of Art education was to establish
standards of excellence in professions and trades that used Art,
and to start establishing those standards in teaching Art in public
schools. He thought that Pure Design should be taught in all
grades, from Kindergarten all the way through college and
university classes. He thought that the problem with teaching Art
in elementary schools was the lack of intelligence and

understanding on the part of the teachers. They dont take the

right point of view. They dont see clearly what they are aiming at.
There is a lack of intelligence and understanding on the part of
the teachers (Ross, 1912, p.85).
Ross thought that discouraging children was a huge problem.
He believed that if the work was interesting, then children would
stay interested in it. It is quite possible to spoil the effect of
these exercises by making them too severe, by discouraging the
children and making them feel the difficulties rather than the
possibilities. We must not allow our education to commit suicide.
Every care must be taken to make the work interesting, and if
possible, exciting (Ross, 1912, p.89).
Contributions to the field
Both Ruskin and Ross contributed greatly to the field of Art
education. They both wrote several books which are still
considered important, and still have elements of them taught in
Art education classes. Their main difference was in their subjects
they focused on. Ruskin was very much into beauty, and making
things aesthetically appealing, and spoke of divine influence on
beauty. Ross, on the other hand, focused on design. His primary
focus was symmetry, balance, and order. He liked having a
systematic way of doing things.
Ruskin explained how art conveys information, and by doing
this, made a brilliant and underappreciated contribution to
painting theory. In his Modern Painters books, a four volume set,
Ruskin explained in the first and fourth volumes how painting was
all about relationships. These relationships, he explained, were
between colors, tones, and forms, which should have the same
proportions, though not the same scale, as real things in the real
world.
Aestheticism and its followers, known as Aesthetes, were
heavily influenced by Ruskins beliefs about Typical and Vital

beauty. They did not think that anything made by a machine

could really be artistic. These were some of the same people who
formed the beginning of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Instead
of placing artistic values above ethical ones, members of the Arts
and Crafts Movement often merged ethics and aesthetics
following Ruskins dictum that good art could only come from a
good person in a good society (Stankiewicz, 1992, p.169). The
Aesthetes and Arts and Crafts Movement members both thought
it was their duty to educate others on how to have good or more
refined tastes.
Denman Waldo Ross published A Theory of Pure Design in
1907, after his search to discover the basic principles of order.
This book became the basis for design in all visual arts. In his
Theory of Pure Design, speaking of the different arts, he says,
These are the principal arts, but there are many others, more or
less connected with them. Design comes in all of these Arts,
bringing order, in some cases Beauty (Forbes, 1935, p.6).
External factors that played a role in their thinking and
practices
Ruskin and Ross did not appear to have any common factors
in things that influenced their thinking and practices. Ruskin was
influenced by beauty, nature, religion, and poetry. Ross was
influenced by design, beauty, order, and Science. Beauty and
Order were the main two things that influenced them both, in
different ways.
In his final volume of The Stones of Venice, Ruskin ended
with this statement on the importance of expression: Whatever
may be the means, or whatever the more immediate end of any
kind of art, all of it that is good agrees in this, that it is the
expression of one soul talking to another, and it is precious
according to the greatness of the soul that utters it (Landow,
1971, para.28). Ruskins religious views and beliefs influenced all

of his artistic theories and endeavors. He was also inspired by

poetry, and those inspirations influenced his aesthetic theories as
well. Ruskins puritanical attitudes and his penchant for
theological speculation shaped his early aesthetic theory to such
an extent that, without reference to his religion, it would be as
difficult to understand his ideas of beauty as it would be to
understand the reason for the sermonizing tone with which he
presents them (Landow, 1971, para. 28).
Denman Waldo Ross was inspired in his early years by
Professor Norton, Professor Charles H. Moore, and indirectly by
Ruskin. Ross was also inspired by a love of imagination, and a
love of beauty and order. He said that what we like is seen in what
we are. Ross was inspired by the great painting masters of days
past. He believed the masters achieved their masterpieces by
having well-made plans and processes which they carried out in a
slow and concise manner.
Science was another great influence of Rosss. He said that
you could not draw a line between them. Science lies in the
meaning, Art lies in the form of the meaning. Science without Art
is meaning without expression, and Art without Science is
expression without meaning. Art and Science are thus
inseparable (Ross, 1912, p.190).
Anything else deemed relevant
Ross said As is the duty of the artist to prevent, so far as he
can, the production of inferior materials, he should resolutely
abstain from buying them (Ross, 1912, p.36). I thought that was
interesting since I have had the same experience with art supplies
lately. I have discovered that it is definitely worthwhile to invest a
little bit more money in higher quality supplies to end up with a
higher quality product. Ross also believed that there should be a
close connection between thoughts and actions, body and soul,
where creating Art was concerned. I also liked that thought. I

think our thoughts should drive our motives and actions, where
our creative processes are concerned.
There was a small similarity along these lines with Ruskin.
He believed that art is inherently moral, and therefore wanted to
teach men how to be in the correct moral state they needed to
produce noble art. Ruskin was somewhat concerned with
mechanical technique, but placed a great deal of emphasis on
moral standing. This would go along with Rosss idea that our
connected thoughts and actions and body and soul influence our
Art production. Ruskin would say that if our thoughts and soul
were in good moral standing, then our Art work would be, as well.
References
Atwood, S. (2013, January 28). John Ruskin on education. Retrieved from
http://infed.org/mobi/john-ruskin-on-education/
Forbes, E. (1935). Denman Waldo Ross. Bulletin of the Fogg Art Museum,5(1), 2-6. Retrieved from
JSTOR.
Landow, G. (1971). Ruskin's Theories - Vital Beauty. Retrieved from
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/ruskin/atheories/2.3html
Landow, G. (1971). Ruskin's Theories - Typical Beauty. Retrieved from
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/ruskin/atheories/2.2htm
Landow, G. (1971, January 1). J.D. Harding and John Ruskin on Nature's Infinite Varieties. Retrieved
from http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/ruskin/harding.html
Ross, D. (1907). A theory of pure design; harmony, balance, rhythm;. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin.
Ross, D. (1912). On drawing and painting,. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Stankiewicz, M. (1992). From the Aesthetic Movement to the Arts and Crafts Movement. Studies in
Art Education, 33(3), 165-173. Retrieved from JSTOR.
Vol.33, No.3 (Spring 1992) pp.165-173