Reading Ruskin on cultural heritage

This chapter offers fresh perspectives on heritage conservation by re-reading John Ruskin's works diachronically, revealing enduring insights for contemporary challenges. It applies Michel Foucault's concept of authorship to Ruskin, positioning him as a founder of discursive possibilities in cultural heritage. The study provides a biographical and historical overview of Ruskin's publications, including his early Lectures on Architecture and Painting delivered in Edinburgh (1853), which contrast the Old and New Towns—now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. By synthesizing Ruskin’s ideas with modern conservation practices, the chapter demonstrates how imaginative re-reading can generate meaningful interpretations for today's heritage discourse.

Chitty, G. (2023). Reading Ruskin on cultural heritage. Reading Ruskin’s Cultural Heritage, 13–32. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429354298-3