Half title 

This page comes from Owen Jones's "Grammar of Ornament," a lavishly printed book of 1856. Jones used a relatively new technology - chromolithography - a form of industrial printing that allowed for complex color combinations. The effect is impressive. Jones was trying to offer designers an encyclopedia of historical styles, all rendered with the same harmonious aesthetic. Note how the inks sit on the surface of the paper, retaining a sense of vibrancy. This was totally different than the subtle gradations achieved by watercolorists, for example. It is important to remember that while "Grammar of Ornament" presents itself as a collection of historical motifs, it was very much of its time. The industrial processes used to create it were cutting-edge, and the aesthetic, though seemingly timeless, actually reflects Victorian ideals of order and beauty. Jones’s book was not just about ornament, but about how it could be manufactured and consumed in an age of mass production.