Poet Gary Lawless takes us on a journey to discover the answers to the question of how the stones came to Venice, and in the process creates a work that is marvelous, lucid and stunningly new. How the Stones Came to Venice draws on history, philosophy, mineralogy, alchemy, and hagiography to tell the story of stone. In the process Lawless offers us a treasure trove of other stories, of anarchists, stonemasons and saints; he offers prayers and meditations on man's stewardship of the earth; he shares the story of his own journey from the quarries of Prospect, Maine, to the stone streets and churches of Venice, the islands of Greece, the mountains of Turkey and the forests of Lithuania, to return at last to the stones and waters of Maine, his home state.

A masterpiece of architectural criticism, this groundbreaking work by renowned art critic and social thinker John Ruskin explores the history and aesthetics of the monuments, sculpture, and architecture of Venice. Thought-provoking and illuminating, this book is a must-read for those interested in the history of art and architecture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"This title was first published in 2000: John Ruskin's three-volume "The Stones of Venice" (1851-3) remains massively influential in art and architecture. To mark the centenary of Ruskin's death, this illustrated guide links Ruskin's descriptions of individual buildings with a photograph of the architecture and sculpture as it is today. Much of Ruskin's prose is reproduced, together with many of his drawings and watercolours and a number of 19th-century engravings. Sarah Quill's photographs identify the details described by Ruskin and show the extent to which the city's architecture has survived, or changed, since first publication of "The Stones of Venice". The opening chapter provides an introduction to Ruskin's involvment with Venice and to the periods and styles of Venetian architecture."--Provided by publisher.

"More than simply a survey of an ancient city's most significant buildings, The Stones of Venice first published in three volumes between 1851 and 1853 is an expression of a philosophy of art, nature, and morality that goes beyond art history, and has inspired such thinkers as Leo Tolstoy, Marcel Proust, and Mahatma Gandhi. Volume III, which looks at Venetian buildings of the Early, Roman, and grotesque Renaissance, provides an analysis of the transitional forms of Arabian and Byzantine architecture while tracing the city s spiritual and architectural decline. Unabridged, and containing Ruskin s original drawings, this guide to the moral, spiritual, and aesthetic implications of architecture is a treasure for students and scholars alike. The preeminent art critic of his time, British writer JOHN RUSKIN (1819 1900) had a profound influence upon European painting, architecture, and aesthetics of the 19th and 20th centuries. His immense body of literary works include Modern Painters, Volume I IV (1843 1856); The Seven Lamps of Architecture (1849); Unto This Last (1862); Munera Pulveris (1862 3); The Crown of Wild Olive (1866); Time and Tide (1867); and Fors Clavigera (1871-84)."