The Nature of Gothic: A Facsimile
By John Ruskin
Couldn't load pickup availability
- A facsimile of William Morris’s ‘Golden-type’ edition of Ruskin's revolutionary work of social, art and architectural criticism about the Gothic style, a foundational inspiration to Morris
'One of the very few necessary and inevitable utterances of the century.' William Morris, in the Preface. The Nature of Gothic started life as a chapter in Ruskin's masterwork, The Stones of Venice. Ruskin came to lament the 'Frankenstein monsters' of Victorian buildings with added Gothic which 'The Stones' inspired; but despite his misgivings the original moral purpose of his writing had not fallen on stony ground. The Nature of Gothic, the last chapter of the second volume, had marked his progression from art critic to social critic; in it, he found the true seam of his thought, and it was quickly recognised for the revolutionary writing it was. As Morris himself put it, The Nature of Gothic 'pointed out a new road on which the world should travel'; and in its indictment of meaningless modern labour and its celebration of medieval architecture it could be called the foundation stone of Morris's aesthetic and purpose in life. 40 years after he first read it, Morris chose Ruskin's text for one of the first books to be published at his Kelmscott Press, using his own Golden type. It is one of the summits of his career, and one of the most beautiful books ever published.
Few books can so completely sum up an era. The Kelmscott Nature of Gothic encapsulates the meeting of two remarkable minds and embodies their influence in word, image and design. But more than that, Ruskin's words are increasingly relevant for our times. In this facsimile edition, the first ever made of this rare book, the reader can fully appreciate their importance and their legacy, as understood by one of the most potent visual imaginations to have worked in Britain.
In this enlarged edition, essays by leading scholars, Robert Hewison (who was one of Ruskin's successors as Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University), Tony Pinkney (Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University) and Robert Brownell (lecturer, stained-glass maker and author of Marriage of Inconvenience) explain the importance of this book for Ruskin, for Morris and for us today.
Carbon Neutral Deliveries
All of our deliveries are now carbon neutral.
UK Delivery
Standard Delivery
Orders under £5
- Shipping cost: £3.50
- Delivery time: 3 to 5 working days from date of dispatch (usually within 24 hours)
Orders of £5 or more
- Shipping cost: £5.00
- Delivery time: 3 to 5 working days from date of dispatch (usually within 24 hours)
Please allow up to 7 working days from placing your order before contacting us about an undelivered item.
Please note: Standard delivery is not available for custom prints or custom clothing.
Local Collection
Local collection is free and allows you to order online and collect from either:
- The British Library Shop, St Pancras, London
- Reception, Boston Spa
Please note: Local collection is not available for custom prints, custom clothing, or custom accessories.
St Pancras, London Collection
- Orders placed before 3pm will usually be ready to collect from 12 noon the following day, including weekends.
Boston Spa Collection
- Orders placed before 3pm are usually ready within 2 to 4 working days.
Please note: The British Library site at Boston Spa is not open to the general public. Visitors must present ID and an order confirmation to Security on arrival and will be directed to Reception, where their order will be available for collection.
Collecting Your Order
Please wait for the email saying your order is ready for collection and check our opening times before visiting to pick up your order.
You must bring:
- Your order confirmation email
- Proof of identity (for example, a driving licence or debit/credit card)
If someone is collecting on your behalf, they must present:
- Your order confirmation email
- ID in the purchaser's name
Collection Terms
- Orders will be held for 10 working days.
- Uncollected orders will be refunded.
- If you are unable to collect your order, please contact us.
International Delivery
- Delivery times are estimates and may vary due to customs processes.
- Not all international orders are sent using a tracked service.
- Please allow 30 working days before contacting us regarding a missing international order.
- Check Royal Mail's international service updates for country-specific delivery information.
International Availability
Europe and the United States
We have resumed shipping selected products to Europe and the United States following changes to EU GPSR regulations and recent US tariff updates.
British Library Publications, including subscriptions, are now available to customers throughout Europe and the United States.
We are continuing to expand our international offering and will release additional products in stages. Customers browsing from Europe or the United States will only see products currently available to order in their location.
Rest of the World
A full list of countries currently available for delivery can be found at https://shop.bl.uk/pages/delivery-information.
Please note: Print-on-Demand Art Prints, Clothing, and Accessories are manufactured and shipped separately and are not included in the shipping rates listed below.
Europe and EU Delivery
Due to EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), some products are not yet available for delivery to European destinations. We are actively working to increase the range available.
Shipping Charges
- Orders under £25: £15
- Orders £25 to £49.99: £25
- Orders £50 to £99.99: £36
- Orders £100 and over: £45
Estimated delivery: 2 to 4 weeks
Shipping method: Airmail
United States Delivery
Selected products are now available for delivery to the United States.
All US orders are shipped by Airmail and typically arrive within 2 to 4 weeks.
Please note: Applicable customs duties, taxes, and tariffs are not included in the purchase price or shipping cost and must be paid by the customer upon delivery.
Rest of the World Delivery
Shipping Charges
- Orders under £25: £20
- Orders £25 to £49.99: £30
- Orders £50 to £99.99: £40
- Orders £100 and over: £50
Estimated delivery: 2 to 4 weeks
Shipping method: Airmail
Customs Duties, Taxes and Tariffs
All international orders are shipped on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis.
Import duties, customs charges, tariffs, VAT, and other local taxes may be payable when your order arrives in the destination country.
These charges:
- Are set by local authorities
- Are not included in product or shipping prices
- Must be paid by the recipient
- Are the responsibility of the customer, not the British Library
Returned Orders
If an order is returned because customs duties, taxes, or tariffs were not paid, we will refund the cost of the products only. Any original shipping charges incurred will be deducted from the refund.
We recommend checking local customs requirements before placing your order.
For more information, please visit our Delivery Information page: https://shop.bl.uk/pages/delivery-information
Answers to frequently asked questions about deliveries and shipping can be found at Delivery & Shipping FAQs