Vitality of Form in Ruskin and Pater on Michelangelo.

The article examines John Ruskin's contrasting views on Michelangelo, particularly focusing on his infamous 1871 Slade lecture, where he criticized Michelangelo as lifeless and overly focused on the body, and his earlier, more appreciative analysis in "Modern Painters" (1846). It highlights how Ruskin's perspectives were later appropriated and transformed by Walter Pater, an influential art writer and critic associated with the Aesthetic Movement. The discussion emphasizes the interplay of form and formlessness in Michelangelo's work, exploring themes of vitality, human experience, and the relationship between art and nature, while also touching on the homoerotic undertones present in both Ruskin's and Pater's writings. The article ultimately positions these critiques within the broader context of Victorian culture and aesthetics. [Extracted from the article]