Römisch Nr.1
1856
Owen Jones published this fascinating plate in 1856 as part of *The Grammar of Ornament*, a massive attempt to categorize every beautiful pattern in history. The top panel shows a whimsical scene of a winged child feeding a griffin, surrounded by elaborate Roman scrollwork that looks like it was carved from stone. Jones believed that good design came from studying nature and history, effectively creating a 19th-century style guide that influenced everything from wallpaper to the inside of the London Underground. It’s a visual encyclopedia that proves the Victorians were obsessed with the past.
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