I wanted to share some illustrations with you today from one of my all time favourite books. First published in 1856, The Grammar of Ornament remains a design classic today .Its inspiration came from the pioneering architect and designer Owen Jones. His observations of decorative art on his extensive travels in Europe and the Near East were employed to improve the poor quality of Western design.

His goal was to change the Victorian habit of mixing elements from a wide variety of sources and applying this mix indiscriminately to buildings, graphic design, and products. His resulting study is a comprehensive analysis of a remarkable collection of styles of ornamental design – from Ancient Egypt and Greece to Imperial China and Renaissance Italy. With its stunning illustrations, its detailed survey of individual cultures, and its manifesto of “General Principles,” it offered guidance to the designers of the future. I particularly like his representations of Celtic Ornament:

Hugely influential since its first publication, The Grammar of Ornament inspired great figures such as William Morris and Frank Lloyd Wright. Contemporary designers, entertained by the archaic charm of Jones’s descriptions, are struck by the book’s enduring relevance and its soundness regarding the essential principles of good design.

You can only appreciate the amazing quality of this work by viewing the illustrations at full sizes. To see the above plate at full size please click here (opens in new window – click on image in window again to maximize image). Jones’ acheivement here is even more remarkable when you consider that the book contains 112 full page full color plates – I always wonder how long it must have taken him to complete bearing in mind that he wrote all of the text also.

If you would like to see more of Grammar of Ornament plus Jones’ classic Chinese Ornament, please click here.