The Grammar of Ornament. Illustrated by examples from various styles of ornament.

One hundred and twelve plates. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982. Folio, gilt lettered cloth in dustjacket, light handling marks, a fine facsimile of the original edition firs published in 1856.

‘The grammar of ornament is a decorative arts source book of almost encyclopaedic scope. It gathers together ornamental designs from vastly different eras, places and cultures: Assyrian, Greek, Byzantine, Turkish, Chinese, Celtic, Medieval, Islamic, Renaissance – and more. These designs are vividly reproduced in 100 chromolithograph plates, an innovative colour process perfected in the 19th century.

Owen Jones was an architect and design theorist, whose achievements included the decoration of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851. In this book he posits 37 propositions on the principles of decorative arts, including the use of nature as a source, and discusses the decoration of objects of utility. Jones was well travelled and drew many of the designs from applied art examples that he saw in museums or at their original locations.

The grammar of ornament has influenced many artists and architects, notably William Morris and Frank Lloyd Wright. It remains an object admired for its colour and design, and is an essential reference for the history of art.’ – University of Melbourne Library