Nineveh and Persia, no. 2 

Editor: This is "Nineveh and Persia, no. 2" by Owen Jones, it appears to be a textile or a design for one. I am struck by the array of geometric and floral patterns. What do you see in this piece, and how does it speak to a larger historical context? Curator: Immediately, I see a deliberate revival and interpretation of ancient Near Eastern motifs. The grid-like organization suggests a conscious cataloging of forms, a visual vocabulary. Notice how Jones isn't simply copying; he's filtering these designs through a Victorian lens, creating a kind of cultural memory. What feelings do those floral patterns evoke for you? Editor: I feel they hint at the beauty found in nature, which contrasts with the rigid geometry surrounding them. Almost like an attempt to soften the perceived austerity of those ancient cultures? Curator: Precisely. Flowers often symbolize renewal and paradise in ancient Persia, ideas adopted and adapted in later cultures. Owen Jones understood the symbolic power of floral designs as vehicles of paradise. He strategically weaves that in here. Consider, too, the intent. This wasn’t fine art, but design intended for mass production. What does that tell you about the Victorian perception of the ‘Orient’? Editor: That there was a real fascination, even a desire to domesticate and consume these exotic images and cultures? To integrate their visual language into everyday life? Curator: Yes, and to transform them into palatable forms. It really speaks to the power of design in shaping and reflecting cultural attitudes. What’s your final impression? Editor: It's a rich source of patterns but, also, cultural meanings and appropriations, and it makes me think differently about the wallpapers in my grandparents’ house. Curator: Indeed. Sometimes the most potent symbols are hiding in plain sight, woven into the very fabric of our surroundings.