Examples of Chinese ornament, Pl.26
1867
Owen Jones was the Victorian era's ultimate design detective, traveling the globe to catalog the world's most beautiful patterns. This specific plate comes from his 1867 publication 'Examples of Chinese Ornament', acting essentially as a 19th-century Pinterest board for architects and decorators. The image bursts with vibrant turquoise, emerald green, and coral red, showcasing a mesmerizing mix of swirling floral vines and strict geometric labyrinths. Jones believed that by studying these historical masterpieces, modern designers could learn the universal 'grammar' of beauty. These intricate panels—ranging from vase-like architectural shapes to wide decorative bands—showcase the incredible complexity of Chinese artistic tradition, translated into flat, colorful prints for Western audiences to admire and copy.