John Ruskin certainly likes art. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I have no idea how to paste a picture into your blog. I solved the problem by using the painting I selected as my profile picture, it's a little small though. I think it is very beautiful.

Samuel Coleman painted this piece, Storm King On The River Hudson, in 1866, it is considered one of his best, and is on display in the Smithonian.

After perusing, Ruskin's Modern Painters, I decided to analyze this painting from the "Synopsis of Contents" Part 1 Of General Principles, Chapter 111, Of the Ideas of Power. Ruskin states in this chapter that excellence is an equation or sum of perception. I.E. each part, painting, picture, what it represents, what it is, the physical effort to produce it, the craftmanship, and man's ability of thought to be made reality or tangible can be designated a value.

Ruskin"The faculty of perceiving, what powers are required for the production of a thing, is the faculty of perceiving excellence. It is this faculty in which men, even of the most cultivated taste, must always be wanting, unless they have added practice to reflection; because none can estimate the power manifested in victory, unless they have personally measured the strength to be overcome." (Ch 3 Section 3)

Therefore, excellence, is a value relative to the level of perception each individual can see. For example, the actual physical existence of anything, the energy or effort it took to make it deserves value. Another, level of perception is what qualities can be gained from the initial object and so on and so forth. With this formula, each degree of perception then equates to more excellence or beauty. With consideration to art then, perhaps most significant is man's thoughts themselves, and our capability to create.

Simply, excellence or beauty is everthing. In relation to the painting, the significance of the Steam ships makes this concept vital. First, however it is critical to examine the setting and the proportion of excellence it is entitled. Clearly, if a person stops to consider the nature of geology and the work of the elements, such as wind, water, earth, and time, they will concede that for a hill to become a mountain or a river to cut a path to the ocean is an example of excellence. This figure by man is generally placed in value to earth's resources and usability. Therefore, the nature of our preception is proportional to the amount of beauty each individual attributes to it. In considering the picture, the earth of course, provides something to stand on, trees for wood, fires, building, materials, etc. To overlook the existence of the dirt itself, its mineral content and growing potential is essential in measuring its value based upon the notion of the work it can produce and the work it took to create it. The rivers life giving water and the organisms within it that sustain life are excellent. In the painting, the vessels, fishing nets, the harnessing of the wind. The very existience of the laws of nature are beautiful. Why do things float?

Indeed, on a molecular level, words become insufficient to place value on creation. With regards to Coleman's painting then, the representation of the earth, has nearly infinite layers of power or excellence relative to the capacity of each individuals ability to discriminate it contents.
Now then, disregarding the picture for a moment lets examine Coleman, the man. It is essential to consider the amount of energy each brush stroke used. How much energy did the cells of his body require to accomplish each brush stroke. Even if the painting would have been sloppy, it would have been estimated a certain measure of excellence just because of the energy behind the action and also the thought according to Ruskins value system.

The fact that Coleman's ability to reproduce an image, transmitted to the eye, then to the brain, and back again through his hands to canvas, with near perfection is extrordinary. By applying Ruskin's equation to calculate Coleman's painting it's excellence or beauty is infinite.

With regards to the contents of Coleman's painting, and comparitively using Ruskins excellence equation, the steam ship parallels creation itself. Man thinking and our capacity to alter our environment is the embodiment of the excellence or beauty of creation itself. Sencience, then must be valued as God within us. Whew, I feel dizzy.