The seven lamps of architecture

It is essential to distinguish between architecture and construction, since it is built is to put together and adjust the various parts of a building, on the other hand, the true non-adulterate architecture the nature of the material it uses and should be able to perpetuate as a living history the society that produced it . Ruskin, first of all for its monumental architecture studies and its historical and social implications, called "architecture lamp" to the laws that every artist at the time of creating must obey, and lists seven. Sacrifice, with which the artist works with a devoted spirit, truth, to which those who wish to give a different structure from the real: power, so that when observing the building built it is contemplated in all its extension, beauty , Knowing ornaments where possible, life, because the architectural work should remember, become a monument, and finally obedience, to be faithful to a national school.

The seven lamps of architecture, one of his most famous works of this author, dedicates a chapter to each lamp, containing abundant technical and acute observations on classical and medieval art, the examples are taken fundamentally of masterpieces of French architecture and Italian, thus becoming a basic manual of architectural concepts.