Claude Lorrain's perspective and Ruskin

[Amadeus888]

Ruskin in Modern Painters criticizes Claude Lorrain's perspective in two of his paintings (Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba and Seaport with the embarkation of St. Ursula). Specifically, Ruskin says that "the quay on which the figure is sitting, with his hand at his eyes is egregiously out of perspective."

Here is a link to the painting. Do you agree with Ruskin?

Also, he says that the curved portico in the second painting is out of perspective. Here's a link to the painting. What do you think? I'm finding it hard to locate the errors that Ruskin points out.

[song_bird]

I can see what he's saying, that the 'quay' is off. Could also be that the concrete wasn't set perfectly square. Doesn't look level either. Could be irregular slabs. Shifting in the water. The concrete stairs on the right do not look in perspective either. Unless they are actually slightly angled outwards.

The capitals on the portico in the second image do look off to me; the left two. Some of the stairs towards the water look a bit skewed or off-square also.

Could be that he was painting imperfect buildings.

[Keith2]

In the first painting, If you extend the left and right sides of the block of stone on which the figure is sitting, the vanishing point is just above the crenellations of the tower in the right middle ground. So either he got the perspective wrong;or the block doesn't have parallel sides; or the block is laid at an angle, not horizontal.

I think it's a minor perspective error and that Ruskin was being a bit picky.

As for the second painting, in my view the curved portico is out of perspective. The rectangular blocks of stone on top of the second column from the left are at the wrong angle to the viewer. The stone parapet on top of the columns should be taller at the left hand side as it curves towards the viewer.

[Amadeus888]

Thank you both for helping me see this. Ruskin says that the quay is egregiously out of perspective, so I think he was being a bit too harsh. I got myself a copy of Rex Vicat Cole's Perspective for Artists after this.

[song_bird]

Those far buildings in the 2nd painting seem to be leaning back, too.