INTRODUCTION TO THIS VOLUME

Summary

This is a Florentine volume. It contains two courses of Oxford lectures (delivered respectively in 1873 and 1874) which dealt with Tuscan Art, and to these it adds the “simple studies of Christian Art for English travellers” entitled Mornings in Florence (1875–1877), with its supplementary volume of illustrations called The Shepherd's Tower. Other courses of lectures were delivered by Ruskin at Oxford in 1873 and 1874; but as these were on natural science, they are reserved for other volumes. The contents of the present volume are, then: I. Val d'Arno, being “Ten Lectures on the Tuscan Art directly antecedent to the Florentine Year of Victories” (1250). These lectures were delivered in the October term 1873, and published a year later; the delay was caused by the preparation of the illustrations. II. The Æsthetic and Mathematic Schools of Art in Florence (1300–1500). These lectures, which are now published for the first time, were delivered in Michaelmas Term 1874. III. Mornings in Florence. This was published at intervals during the years 1875, 1876, 1877. Ruskin's serious illness in the following year prevented its completion. An additional chapter written for Ruskin by Mr. R. Caird is now for the first time published. IV. The Shepherd's Tower (1881).