Great art is precisely that which never was, nor will be taught, it is preeminently and finally the expression of the spirits… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
I fear uniformity. You cannot manufacture great men any more than you can manufacture gold. — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
Greatness is not a teachable nor gainable thing, but the expression of the mind of a God-made great man. — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
An infinitude of tenderness is the chief gift and inheritance of all truly great men. — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
I believe that the first test of a great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power.… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
God will put up with a great many things in the human heart, but there is one thing that He will not… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
To follow art for the sake of being a great man, and therefore to cast about continually for some means of achieving… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
Nobody cares much at heart about Titian, only there is a strange undercurrent of everlasting murmur about his name, which means the… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
Though you may have known clever men who were indolent, you never knew a great man who was so; and when I… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
Depend upon it, the first universal characteristic of all great art is Tenderness, as the second is Truth. I find this more… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
“. . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding… — John Ruskin Copy Share Image
“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre… — John Ruskin Copy Share
Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life. — John Ruskin Copy Share
Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows… — John Ruskin Copy Share
As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it. — John Ruskin Copy Share
I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average… — John Ruskin Copy Share
When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants… — John Ruskin Copy Share
It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper… — John Ruskin Copy Share
It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an… — John Ruskin Copy Share
“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and… — John Ruskin Copy Share
And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride. — John Ruskin Copy Share
The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because… — John Ruskin Copy Share
Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it… — John Ruskin Copy Share
All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;… — John Ruskin Copy Share
The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just… — John Ruskin Copy Share
