The Nature of Gothic

The first ever facsimile edition of Ruskin's rare book, encapsulating the meeting of two remarkable minds In its indictment of meaningless modern labor and its celebration of medieval architecture, this book could be called the foundation stone of William Morris's aesthetic and purpose in life. Forty years after he first read it, Morris chose it for one of the first books to be published at his Kelmscott Press, using his own Golden type. It is one of the summits of his career. Few books can so completely sum up an era, and the Kelmscott Nature of Gothic embodies Ruskin and Morris's influence in word, image, and design. But more than that, Ruskin's words are increasingly relevant today. With this edition, readers can fully appreciate their importance and their legacy, as understood by one of the most potent visual imaginations to have worked in Britain. Two essays by leading scholars explain the importance of this book for Ruskin, for Morris, and for readers today.