Sesame and Lilies

Primarily famous as a critic and philosopher of art, John Ruskin also wrote on literature and social issues. His most famous writings include Modern Painters, in which he advocates the styles of modern times, and the social essay Sesame and Lilies, which is perhaps his best-known work. Ruskin's aesthetic philosophy, developed in his essays, advocates a moral (rather than simply sensual) appreciation of beauty and truth. The failure of his first marriage and the death at twenty-seven of his second romantic interest left Ruskin deeply depressed; he finished his days combatting mental illness.