The Stones of Venice

“Byzantine” refers to the architectural style characteristic of the Byzantine Empire (the eastern branch of the Roman Empire, centered at Constantinople), characterized by dome roofs and rich mosaics, a style which eventually traveled westward to Ravenna and Venice. The presence of the Byzantine style in such Venetian buildings such as St. Mark’s Basilica and the Ducal Palace reflects the city’s early connection with the Byzantine Empire and Eastern trade, which made it into a major world power.

“Gothic” refers to a style of architecture originating in France and northern Europe in the 12th century and lasting until the 16th century in some areas, characterized by tall churches with elaborate traceries and supported by buttresses, and by the pointed arch. Elements of Gothic are found in Venice’s major churches and palaces and, for Ruskin, reflect the city’s most glorious period.

“Orders of Architecture” denotes Greco-Roman architectural styles as defined by their respective form of column—Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite. Ruskin, however, argues against this classification and insists that there are essentially only two orders. In general, the Orders for Ruskin represent the tyranny of a classical or Renaissance conception of architecture which he is inclined to reject.

“The Renaissance” refers to a period lasting throughout the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe, during which a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman art and philosophy led to a revival in classical learning and innovative trends in many areas of politics, religion, and culture. Architecture in the Renaissance period took its inspiration from classical Greek and Roman architecture, supplanting the Gothic style. Emphasizing symmetry and simple proportions, it included such features as the round arch and lintel, revived from classical buildings. Ruskin’s book is, to some extent, an attack on the Renaissance style as decadent and derivative; he advocates for the revival of the Gothic style instead.