Ornament Drawing from Scrapbook of Working Designs 1755 - 1765

This ornament drawing was made in the 1700s by Gideon Saint, using ink on paper. The visible texture of the paper suggests it was a readily available, everyday material, rather than a pristine surface typically associated with fine art. Note how the drawing appears to be unfinished. We see an initial design transferred with dotted pin-pricks, and then portions of this design realized in confident, flowing lines. This two-stage process gives insight into 18th-century craft practices, hinting at a system where preliminary sketches were transferred and refined by skilled artisans. The drawing provides a glimpse into the division of labor, and the means of production, involved in creating ornamental designs. It's not a finished artwork per se, but rather a practical template, a means to an end. Considering this context, the drawing invites us to appreciate the skill and labor embedded in these historical design processes, and to question conventional hierarchies between art and craft.