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The Complete Chinese Ornament: All 100 Color Plates
This sumptuous edition offers all 100 full-color plates from Owen Jones's definitive presentation of Chinese ornamentation and design, one of the most beautiful books on the decorative arts ever published. Now, over a centruy after its first publication, this remarkable work continues to provide an excellent, copyright-free source of authentic Chinese design and motifs.
During the vast political tumult in China in the 19th century, many of the most exquisite examples of native art from the Ming, Ch'ing and earlier dynasties were spirited out of the country and sold into Western collections. One of the most spectacular of these assemblages was housed at London's South Kensington Museum (today The Victoria and Albert Museum). In the 1860s, the noted English designer and architect Owen Jones studed this collection in depth, particularly the wealth of superb examples of porcelain and cloisonné. He then meticulously rendered many of the most intriguing and beautiful designs in full color. These were published in his celebrated book, Examples of Chinese Ornament Selected from Objects in the South Kensington Museum and Other Collections (1867).
This volume offers painstaking reproductions of all one hundred original color plates from that work, which delighted the art world of the time and exerted a profound influence on the subsequent history of Western design. Now that visual inspiration is once again available to artists, illustrators, designers, and craftspeople in this inexpensive high-quality edition. Moreover, any lover of fine art can enjoy the book as a splendid tribute to the glories of Chinese design—at a price far less than those commanded by extremely rare surviving copies of Jones's original work.
During the vast political tumult in China in the 19th century, many of the most exquisite examples of native art from the Ming, Ch'ing and earlier dynasties were spirited out of the country and sold into Western collections. One of the most spectacular of these assemblages was housed at London's South Kensington Museum (today The Victoria and Albert Museum). In the 1860s, the noted English designer and architect Owen Jones studed this collection in depth, particularly the wealth of superb examples of porcelain and cloisonné. He then meticulously rendered many of the most intriguing and beautiful designs in full color. These were published in his celebrated book, Examples of Chinese Ornament Selected from Objects in the South Kensington Museum and Other Collections (1867).
This volume offers painstaking reproductions of all one hundred original color plates from that work, which delighted the art world of the time and exerted a profound influence on the subsequent history of Western design. Now that visual inspiration is once again available to artists, illustrators, designers, and craftspeople in this inexpensive high-quality edition. Moreover, any lover of fine art can enjoy the book as a splendid tribute to the glories of Chinese design—at a price far less than those commanded by extremely rare surviving copies of Jones's original work.
112 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1990
About the author
Owen Jones
53 books28 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Owen Jones (15 February 1809 – 19 April 1874) was an English-born Welsh architect. A versatile architect and designer, he was also one of the most influential design theorists of the nineteenth century. He helped pioneer modern color theory, and his theories on flat patterning and ornament still resonate with contemporary designers today.
He rose to prominence with his studies of Islamic decoration at the Alhambra, and the associated publication of his drawings, which pioneered new standards in chromolithography. Jones was a pivotal figure in the formation of the South Kensington Museum (later to become the V&A) through his close association with Henry Cole, the museum’s first director, and another key figure in 19th century design reform. Jones was also responsible for the interior decoration and layout of exhibits for the Great Exhibition building of 1851, and for its later incarnation at Sydenham. Jones advised on the foundation collections for the South Kensington museum, and formulated decorative arts principles which became teaching frameworks for the Government School of Design, then at Marlborough House. These design propositions also formed the basis for his seminal publication, The Grammar of Ornament, the global and historical design sourcebook for which Jones is perhaps best known today.
Jones passionately believed in the search for a modern style unique to the nineteenth century – one which was radically different to the prevailing aesthetics of Neo-Classicism and the Gothic Revival. He looked towards the Islamic world for much of this inspiration, using his carefully observed studies of Islamic decoration at the Alhambra to develop bold new theories on flat patterning, geometry and abstraction in ornament. The V&A’s Word & Image Department holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of Owen Jones material - including travel sketches, illuminated books, wallpapers and original design drawings for tiles, textiles, furniture, metalwork, interior decoration and architecture. Other departments within the museum hold examples of his furniture and textiles.
Source: Wikipedia.
Owen Jones (15 February 1809 – 19 April 1874) was an English-born Welsh architect. A versatile architect and designer, he was also one of the most influential design theorists of the nineteenth century. He helped pioneer modern color theory, and his theories on flat patterning and ornament still resonate with contemporary designers today.
He rose to prominence with his studies of Islamic decoration at the Alhambra, and the associated publication of his drawings, which pioneered new standards in chromolithography. Jones was a pivotal figure in the formation of the South Kensington Museum (later to become the V&A) through his close association with Henry Cole, the museum’s first director, and another key figure in 19th century design reform. Jones was also responsible for the interior decoration and layout of exhibits for the Great Exhibition building of 1851, and for its later incarnation at Sydenham. Jones advised on the foundation collections for the South Kensington museum, and formulated decorative arts principles which became teaching frameworks for the Government School of Design, then at Marlborough House. These design propositions also formed the basis for his seminal publication, The Grammar of Ornament, the global and historical design sourcebook for which Jones is perhaps best known today.
Jones passionately believed in the search for a modern style unique to the nineteenth century – one which was radically different to the prevailing aesthetics of Neo-Classicism and the Gothic Revival. He looked towards the Islamic world for much of this inspiration, using his carefully observed studies of Islamic decoration at the Alhambra to develop bold new theories on flat patterning, geometry and abstraction in ornament. The V&A’s Word & Image Department holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of Owen Jones material - including travel sketches, illuminated books, wallpapers and original design drawings for tiles, textiles, furniture, metalwork, interior decoration and architecture. Other departments within the museum hold examples of his furniture and textiles.
Source: Wikipedia.
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