Ruskinian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of the art critic, social theorist, and writer John Ruskin or his aesthetic and social philosophies
2. Pertaining to the artistic principles, social critique, or literary style associated with John Ruskin and his influential writings
3. Concerning or influenced by the ideas and ideals of John Ruskin, particularly regarding art, beauty, craftsmanship, and social reform

Etymology: John Ruskin was the Victorian critic and writer whose essays on art, architecture and social life shaped a generation of thinkers, and "Ruskinian" is simply the adjective formed from his name by adding the suffix "-ian", the same ending found in words like "Darwinian" and "Shakespearean". The pattern is a straightforward one: a proper name is given the "-ian" ending to mean "relating to, or characteristic of, that person and his ideas." The word therefore describes things connected with Ruskin's views rather than with the man himself. Something called Ruskinian is in the manner of Ruskin, whether that means his enthusiasm for Gothic architecture, his moral approach to art, or his insistence that craftsmanship and ornament matter. Because the term is attached to a specific person's body of work, it is used mainly in discussions of Victorian art and criticism.