Comparisons and Contrasts of John Ruskin & Eugene Viollet-le-Duc

Two Men at Odds

Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and John Ruskin were two men in a transitional period of architecture. The way architecture was being thought about and perceived in the world at that time was transitioning from an older way of thinking to the modern age of thinking. Viollet and Ruskin have few similarities and many contrasts, in many cases complete opposites of each other or in some ways the exact interpretation of each other. Ruskin and Viollet-le-Duc worshipped High Gothic Architecture, which most of their work and writings were based off of or in comparison to. Both were enthusiasts of stone and furthermore of Geology. Ruskin’s fourth volume of Modern Painters mainly involves geology and Viollet’s book of the tallest mountain in the Alps of Mount Blanc. In fact, both have written about the Alps Ruskin’s in The Seven Lamps. Ruskin and Viollet also shared a common belief that Gothic architecture was created by all people and not just for wealthy and privileged. Besides these few points there are not many similarities between the two men.

The differences in views and beliefs between these two men were many. Ruskin was an evangelical Christian, while Viollet was an agnostic and could less weather there was a God or wasn’t. This could have possibly help lead them to some of their architectural beliefs and views. Ruskin seems to respect Viollet-le-Duc by mentioning/referencing him in his writings; Viollet on the other hand seems to never notice Ruskin or never chose to recognize him. Viollet’s supervisor intended to write an article on Ruskin, after traveling to England Viollet never included anything particularly on Ruskin. Ruskin was a dreamer, writer, speaker, and was more concerned about the feeling or emotion of architecture; which can be considered by some not architecture in some manners. This is why Viollet did not agree with Ruskin or choose to acknowledge him because he was the complete opposite. Viollet-le-Duc was a doer, he believed in the designers understanding of the logic of rational construction. He had an open mind to many things and was futuristic in his thinking. Viollet was a true architecture preservationist. He had many commissions throughout his career, this is how he became famous, as opposed to Ruskin who became popular through his writing with few commissions.

Ruskin focused much more on the craftsmen or artist of the work than the designer. He believed that architects should work in the craftsmen yard because this is where most of the emotion and feeling of work came from. Ruskin’s feelings about architectural style, was that it should not change but stay the same as before, to reuse and copy works of old. That the best had already come and there was no point to inventing new ones. Ruskin’s interpretations are all based on feelings and little on reasoning which is what Gothic architecture is primarily based upon, science and reasoning. In comparison, Viollet was one of the key figures to push this stance at the time and expound upon the concept. Viollet’s stance is how we now view modern architecture, and is why Viollet is so important and revered today.

Viollet-le-Duc was an agnostic, seemed to be very open and excepting of new things. This is evident in his willingness to expose materials such as steel and to architecturally express glass. This was not a popular notion at the time and Ruskin was one of the many advocates against it, he condemned the Crystal Palace and said that it was an oversized green house, he would go on to say that the structure wasn’t architecture. Ruskin writes about steel and the machine in his book “The Seven Lamps” saying “The dishonesty of the machine would cease, as soon as it became universally practices of which universality there seems every likelihood in these days”. Ruskin must recognize that the use of steel and glass is evidently the way that architecture is shifting. Viollet tried to recognize and sell these advantages of steel to readers. In the end Viollet focused mainly on the designer and the logical understanding and approach towards architecture. Ruskin believed that craftsmen were the true artists and not the designers; they created the beauty which held the powerful feelings and emotions of a structure.

Ruskin also believed in the total renovation of the structure as it once was and to not deviate from the original. Viollet wanted to renovate the structure but to interpret the structure in another way that the designers intended to, this belief plays directly into the importance he gives the designer and how Ruskin would try to interpret what was going on in their thought process. An example of this thought process by Viollet can be seen in his renovation of Carcassonne in France, by using slate roofs. These two different beliefs helped form our current view of historical preservation and renovation, which is to let the original stand out and be distinguished from the new addition.

Viollets use of slate roofs in Carcassonne in France.

Ruskin’s more artistically rich drawings which can possibly be
interpreted as something more than they were intended to.

Viollet’s architect-tonic draws meaning exactly what he was trying to interpret.