Elizabethan Ornament no. 1. Various ornaments in relief from the time of Henry VIII to that of Charles II 

Owen Jones created "Elizabethan Ornament no. 1," a visual compendium of relief ornaments spanning from Henry VIII to Charles II. These ornaments capture the spirit of their era through recurring symbols. Consider the presence of foliage. These botanical motifs are not merely decorative; they are echoes of ancient beliefs. The grape bunches, for instance, hearken back to Dionysian rites, representing fertility and abundance, resurfacing during the Renaissance. The repetition of these classical forms, and the emotional power they held, reveals our deep, subconscious connection to the past. We may feel these forms even if we no longer understand their original symbolism. The history of symbols is not linear, but cyclical. Forms resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, constantly shaped by cultural memory.