John Ruskin, Photographer

Published on Thursday 4 March 2010

Jenny and Ken are currently working together on a book based on a collection they purchased of rare daguerreotypes, previously thought lost. Included are views of Italy (principally Venice), Switzerland and France and these unique images were taken, commissioned or otherwise acquired by John Ruskin, the 19th century art critic, architectural historian, artist, advocate for social justice, author, poet and indeed, photographer. There are such rarities as the first ever photographs of the Alps and a fine early and extensive visual record of the city of Venice from the mid-1840s onwards encompassing previously unrecorded buildings. The group represents probably the world’s largest collection of European daguerreotype views and throws completely new light on the use Ruskin made of the photograph in both his own art, in studying the history of Gothic architecture and in the field of architectural conservation. Ultimately, the daguerreotypes show John Ruskin to be a photographer with an astonishingly unexpected ‘modern’ vision.

We are towards the end of a long, complex but remarkably rewarding project undertaken to conserve the daguerreotypes, most of which were discovered without protective glass. The success of this enterprise is due principally to the remarkable dedication, skill and insights of Angels Arribas, formerly at the National Galleries of Scotland and now a private photography conservator in the UK, and Grant Romer, recently retired head of the Advanced Residency Program in Photographic Conservation at George Eastman House. We also want to acknowledge the help of Jane McAusland, one of the world's leading paper conservators, for her advice, patience, belief in this project and for allowing the use of her outstanding conservation studio.

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