author
Russell Sturgis
1836–1909
Best known as an architect, critic, and clear-eyed guide to art and building, this 19th-century American writer helped shape how readers learned to look at architecture. He also played a part in founding the Metropolitan Museum of Art, linking practical design with public culture.
1 Audiobook
How to judge architecture: a popular guide to the appreciation of buildings
by Russell Sturgis
About the author
Born in 1836, Russell Sturgis built a career that crossed architecture, criticism, and literary work. He studied at the Free Academy in New York, trained with architect Leopold Eidlitz, and continued his architectural education in Munich before returning to practice and write.
Alongside his work as an architect, he became widely known as an art and architecture critic and as the author or editor of major reference works on building and design. His writing is often remembered for making serious subjects approachable, helping general readers understand architecture without losing sight of craft or beauty.
Sturgis was also one of the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870. He died in 1909, leaving behind both buildings and books that reflect the same steady aim: to help people see art and architecture more clearly.