Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Owen Jones and Pompeian Ornament

Illustration: Pompeian Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.

Owen Jones felt little need to spend too much time discussing the subject of Pompeian ornament in his 1856 book The Grammar of Ornament. In fact only three plates are included in the chapter, two from a book dealing with the interior decoration of both Pompeii and Herculaneum produced by Guillaume Zahn in 1828, and another on a series of mosaics that Jones sketched while at the Museum of Naples.

Jones saw the decorative work at Pompeii as being influenced by both ancient Greece and Rome. Pompeii itself was a town that had been heavily influenced by the Greek colonies of southern Italy, but had later become a relatively standard Roman town, be it one devoted to pleasure. Jones himself was on solid ground with his analogy of the interior dimensions and styling of Pompeii, as it had been the subject of archaeological and critical analysis since 1748, when it had first been surveyed in modern times.

Illustration: Pompeian Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.

The chapter in Jones book identifies the standard colours used by Pompeian's for all aspects of their interior decoration from dados to pilasters, panels, and friezes. Jones preferred to call the decorative style 'capricious' but clearly felt that this should be taken as at least a mild criticism. To him, the style veered from mere froth to the outright vulgar. He did however, admit that the style tended naturally towards the spontaneous and the immediate and recognised that contemporary revival styles that tried to imitate the Pompeian, failed to catch any of that spontaneity and individuality and instead merely produced a heavy, sluggish and indifferent decorative effect.

Overall Jones tended to see the Pompeian ornamental style as belonging firmly to its own era, and although interesting from a critical viewpoint as an historical decorative effect, he saw little purpose or gain in using this particular style outside of its immediate timeframe. This is an interesting stand for Jones to take as many saw books such as The Grammar of Ornament as reference guides to many of the Victorian revival themes, some of which took on their own nineteenth century personas. However, many did not and were often hopelessly adrift in an era with no known reference points or details of commonality to their decorative style.


Illustration: Pompeian Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.

Jones clearly felt that this was the case particularly for a Pompeian decorative revival. He even gave a contemporary example by name, which was rare for him. It was that of Digby Wyatt and his reconstruction of a Pompeian house complete with internal decoration, set within the Crystal Palace after the palace had been moved to Sydenham. Although he felt that the experiment to be one that was both worthy and faithful to the original, he also made it clear that he personally thought that the experiment had failed on a more fundamental level. To Jones the simple fact was that although the decoration was painfully accurate in its execution, it lacked the instinctive individuality of the original Pompeian designers and decorators. Jones felt that they were the only ones that could have truly done justice to the decorative scheme by giving it their own carefree, light, and even capricious touch.

It seemed to Jones at least, that there was little chance of getting anywhere close to the original concept or finished effect and that any contemporary example would seem pale by comparison and so therefore should not be attempted. A valuable lesson perhaps.

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