In this masterful intellectual and cultural biography of Denman Ross (1853–1935), the American design theorist, educator, art collector, and painter who taught at Harvard for over 25 years, Marie Frank has produced a significant artistic resurrection. An important regional figure in Boston’s fine arts scene (he remains one of the largest single donors to the collections of the MFA to this day), Ross was a friend and colleague of Arthur Wesley Dow, Bernard Berenson, Jay Hambidge, and others. He gained national and international renown with his design theory, which ushered in a shift from John Ruskin’s romantic naturalism to the formalist aesthetic that characterizes modern art and architecture. Ross’s theory attracted artists, Arts and Crafts artisans, and architects, and helped shape architectural education, scholarship, and museum practices. This biography of an important intellectual figure is also a fascinating and illuminating guide to a pivotal point in American cultural history and a reminder of the days when Boston was America’s salon.

丹曼-罗斯（1853-1935）是美国设计理论家、教育家、艺术收藏家和画家，曾在哈佛大学任教超过25年，在这部精湛的知识和文化传记中，玛丽-弗兰克创造了一个重要的艺术复活。罗斯是波士顿美术界的一个重要的地区性人物（他至今仍是美院收藏品最大的单一捐赠者之一），他是阿瑟-韦斯利-道、伯纳德-贝伦森、杰-汉比奇等人的朋友和同事。他的设计理论在国内和国际上都享有盛名，他的设计理论开创了从约翰-罗斯金的浪漫自然主义到现代艺术和建筑的形式主义美学的转变。罗斯的理论吸引了艺术家、工艺美术师和建筑师，并帮助塑造了建筑教育、学术研究和博物馆实践。这本关于一位重要知识分子的传记也是美国文化史上一个关键点的迷人而富有启发性的指南，并提醒人们波士顿是美国沙龙的日子。