Books

Orpington and London: George Allen 1898-1900. Nine volumes. 8vo. 185x124mm. Bound by Sotheran in blue half-morocco, pale blue linen covered boards, spine attractively decorated in gilt with an Arts and Crafts leaf motif. Spine a little sunned (it is rather more green than blue) and some slight staining to boards but otherwise this is a pretty binding in near fine condition. Top edge gilt, yellow ribbon, front pastedown has ex-libris of M.G.Thorne. Internally near fine. Overall a very attractive set, beautifully bound, of Ruskin's two most important and influential works. The Stones of Venice. Three volumes. Vol. I: The Foundations. pp. xvi, 414; Vol. II: The Sea Stories. pp. xv [ibl], 397 [1bl]. Vol. III. The Fall. pp. vii [ibl], 538. Modern Painters. Six Volumes. Vol. I: Of General Principles, and of Truth. pp. lxxii, 456; Vol. II: Of the Imaginative and Theoretic Faculties. pp. xxviii, 285 [1bl]; Vol. III: Of Many Things. pp. xvi, 365 [1bl]; Vol. IV: Of Mountain Beauty. pp. xii, 435…

This five-volume work argued that art should focus on depicting nature with truth and sincerity.