The Grammar of Ornament

I only recently became aware of Owen Jones’ 1856 book The Grammar of Ornament:

…one of the defining works in decorative arts, the masterwork of Welsh architect and interior designer Owen Jones (1808-74), whose grand tour of Turkey, Egypt, Sicily, and Spain in 1831 marked the beginning of his fascination with illustrations of ornament. His aim was not to produce general artistic views, but to provide scientific accuracy in reproducing his exact and detailed records of colors and patterns. No printer in London at the time could meet Jones’ requirements, and eventually he set up his own press to produce the book’s 110 magnificent chromolithographs… - Michael Darby.

The book also included Jones’ design manifesto, summarised as a list of thirty-seven propositions. For example:

1. The Decorative Arts arise from, and should properly be attendant upon, Architecture.

2. Architecture is the material expression of the wants, the faculties, and the sentiments, of the age in which it is created…

3. As Architecture, so all works of the Decorative Arts, should possess fitness, proportion, harmony, the result of all which is repose.

4. True beauty results from that repose which the mind feels when the eye, the intellect, the affections, are satisfied from any want.

5. Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed…

This page was my source for the images above.

Posted by misteraitch at September 16, 2003 01:13 PM | TrackBack