n Spring 1961, my first year of graduate work under Professor E.D.H. "Dudley" Johnson at Princeton, we met an undergraduate senior who Dudley had admitted into the "sacred" Victorian graduate seminar: George Landow. Already at Princeton he was known as an outstanding pre-med. In short order he more than equaled the rest of the class in literature and art analysis. We were all studying John Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites that semester. One day Dudley mentioned that he had seen an advertisement for Cook and Wedderburn's complete Ruskin writings, 1903, only in 38 volumes instead of 39 (the index). The cost was nominal, even for a graduate student wanting to combine art and literature studies. But before I could act, however, George had snapped it up. And used it magnificently for a distinguished career as the author of prize-winning books about Ruskin and other Victorians. (A complete 39 vol. set is for sale today at $6,474.00. So it was also a good investment!)
Another fond memory consists of visits with George and Ruth in Britain, often at the Fine Arts Society Gallery to see Peyton Skipwith, who has already posted a memorial notice. Once we were all together at the Gallery in a jam-packed celebration of the life of Peyton's wonderful wife Anne, recently deceased. We shared recollections of memorable dinners with her over the previous decades.
With George and Ruth I watched the last, 2.5 hour long, episode of M.A.S.H. on 28 February 1983, in their Providence. R.I. home. I think the TV may still have had rabbit ears to adjust.
It was harder for me to stay in touch with George the computer guru. But hypertext could have been designed by Ruskin, whose mind moved in many directions simultaneously, and retained formidable amounts of data.
Still, the news of his death, that has just reached me from Patrick Leary, prompts me to send loving thoughts to his family, and thanks for all the times, art, literature, and friends we shared.
Created 22 November 2023