Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
JOHN RUSKIN'S HOME
HIS DRAWINe-RooM, DiNlNG-RooM,
STUDY, AND BEDROOM.
er-Gardens and His Cherry Orchard
Figures In the Hall.

facing the visitor, are two striking female
figures by Burne Jones, done originally
for tapestry one represents a figure OF
Justice and the other Cleopatra. Enter
ing the drawing-room, some OF Mr..
Ruskins own beautiful drawings are
pissed, notable one being that o. san
Miniato at Rome. The whole character
istic OF whatmay he termed the upholstery
of the house is that OF sold comfort,
so-called artistic furniture and payers
know it not. and indeed they would be
sadly ont Of place on walls papcred with
Turner'S and inhabited by thirteenth
century Examinations. The drawing
room shows. perhaps, more than any
other room Mr.. Ruskln's catholic spirit
in art here We have O charming child
portrait OF little Gainsborough girl,
| great favorite with its owner, and
fascinating picture for all behold
ers then there is also Burned Ones'B
| Fair Rosamund in the act OF putting
up her white signal for the approach OF
Henry. Facing the window is MIR. Ius-
kin's own copy of that very characters
tic Botticelli, 'Zipporah, 10 the Sistine
| Chapel, and very beautiful drawing.
also by him, Of the entrance to St
Marks at Venice. fine, delicate piece
Of work, in his most minute and consci-
entiously exact style. Then there are
black and white sketches by Rnskin and
Prout. and two birds nests and some
| fruit IN old William Hunts most charac
teristic style, special fayorites Of Mr.
RuslSin's, and which, indeed, as samples
OF their particular art could not be ex-
celled.
| PORTRAITS BY NoRrHcoTE.
ain the new dining-room, which Rus
| kin built some ten years ago, the writer
| notices among other treasures three por-
traits by Northcote OF the deepest per
sonal and much artistic interest. The
centre one 0hey are all life size) shows
little child of three, with light hair and
blue shoes, running along with a little
King Charless spaniel-n sweet baby,
about whose future Imagination might
well run not did we not know that our
best Imagination would stop very far short
Of where he has gone and led others, since
those early days when John Ruskin
PLAYED as a child with Northcotes little
dog. which the artist sought on every oc-
casion to introduce into his pictures.
The child's picture has on either side OF
it two excellent portraits OF his father
and mother; that Of the father IS an
especially strong, Characteristic paint
ing. of a very fine subject a powerful
head and eagle eyes, from which no
ordinary soul looks out. Mrs. Ruskns
picture bears the stamp OF an excellent
likeness, and makes 1t easy to believe IN
tho somewhat rigorous treatment to
which. we learn from 'PrRterita, she
subjected her son in early life.
"Leaving the diningroom we come
next to the room Of the house-Mr. Rus
kin'sstudy. What doesn otthat wonderful
study embrace No taste, hardly pur-
suit, but is here represented by some OF
the most beautiful things in the world.
Round the little bowwindow where Mr..
Ruskins table and armchair are always
placed is low, wide shelf, where a
little garden of flowers gladdens his
ewes: n branch of sweetbrier and scent
ed heather, the lovely white hare bells,
and the tiny rock roses all have a share
of his daily regard. Carefully placed
among them are the last geological speci-
mems which may have excited the Pro-
fessor's interest in his daily walks, col
lected in this lovely region whence even
stones have been made to speak his
beautiful thoughts and language to the
world at large. From the window We
look straight down on the peaceful
waters of Coniston Lake, and across 1t
10 the farmhouse with its ivied chin
news thick and strong like castle towers,
where Sir Philip Sidney loved to visit
Anne, Countess OF Pembroke-on to the
broad base OF the 'Old Man.
ITS MANY JEWELS.
"I have now come to the most i'm
portant part of the many jewels that
brentwood contains. To the right of
the study door are four very fine Turn
ers. First 'Farnley Hall in Yorkshire,
where Turner spent so much of his life,
and which is still treasure house OF
some of his best work. 'Hepsham.
which hangs beside Farnley, looks right
across the Morecambe Sands to Coniston
Old Man. This drawing is very great
fayorite of Mr.. Ruskin's, though hard
ly less so than "Egglestone Abbey. in
Yorkshire, to which he is quite devoted.
Perhaps to the ordinary observer a de-
lightful drawing of Richmond in York
shire is even more attractive than these
other two; any one knowing the I'M
riyalled position OF that fascinating
place-let me thankfully add that it Is
not vet a haunt of the ordinary tourist
can imagine how Turner could treat such
a subject the castle commanding the
whole. the walks of the castle walls, and
beneath the lovely stream Of Swale.
alt has always been Mr.. Ruskin's
habit TO change the Turner'S on his walls
choosing some half dozen for his daily
food at one time, but all round the room
in various positions are many more.
Among them on my last visit there was
the splendid drawing OF the 'Splugen -
.the noblest Alpine drawing Turner ever
made considered by Its owner the
finest in the house, and presented to HIM
after his illness In 1878 by the many de-
voted friends who seek to do HIM honor.
Ascending the staircase, which has
for ornament magnificent Iintoret, We
omen the second door on the left, which |
is the Professors bedroom, IL such /
il should be called it certainly holds a
bed, but otherwise picture gallery
would be much more applicable term.
The room is small, commanding tho |
same fine view of Coniston as the study |
which is Immediately above; at one
end ia a well-stored bookcase, con-
tanning many modern books one would
hardly expect to see as Ruskin's choice ;
among them very fair fayoring Of the |
French novel, but Mr.. Ruskin is nothing
II not Catholic in his tastes, and they |
are all the more valuable in consequence.
Tverywhere else glitter the Turner's,
and really the effect is almost dazzling |
ss Won enter the room, with its delicate |
vet brilliant coloring, set one and all in |
;be Ruskin-carved frames, made without |
a Joint from one piece of tested, beau
tiful wood.
THE GARDENS.