Lecture: WRITTEN IN STONE: Ruskin and Venice

In collaboration with Save Venice

A lecture by Octavia Randolph

In December 2014 Octavia Randolph published her long-awaited novel, Light, Descending, about the English Victorian art critic John Ruskin. She writes of Venice and of Ruskin: "The city was so central to his world view and development of aesthetic theory that it must by nature occupy a signal place in his creative universe. It served as touchstone in his personal life as well; when he and Effie finally made their long-delayed wedding trip abroad Venice was the goal. Almost thirty years later, overwintering in the city, Ruskin descended into a grave psychological state marked by the hallucinations which would haunt him the remainder of his life. Yet as we know from his writings Venice symbolised the entirely of civilization to him, and wandering its calles he read not only the story of La Serenissima but the past and future of his own maritime empire, Britain."

Casa Italiana Members RSVP: 212-502-7944

Save Venice Members RSVP: 212-737-3141
RSVP deadline: 24 hours prior to event start. All seats will be released 10 minutes prior to scheduled start.
(For all other inquiries please call 212-998-8739)

This event, as all others, is open to the general public, but members of Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò and Save Venice may reserve seats. Ten minutes before the event begins, all seats (including those that were reserved) will be available, first-come first-served, to anyone present.

In ENGLISH.