Illustration: Renaissance Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
In Owen Jones 1856 book, The Grammar of Ornament the two chapters that produced the longest amount of text are interestingly both the Italian and Renaissance chapters, both also written by Matthew Digby Wyatt the British Architect and art historian.
The chapter dealing with Renaissance Ornament is firmly placed between those of the Medieval and Elizabethan. This follows the rough chronological history of the decorative arts, especially as seen by those in mid-Victorian Britain.
Illustration: Renaissance Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
The chapter itself gives a long introduction to the history and European context of the Renaissance period as seen through the eyes of a Northern European critic. That is to say, that although there is an element of fair-minded appraisal for the ambitions and achievements of the Renaissance period, there is also an underlying current of thinly disguised disapproval of some of the perceived excesses of the classical tradition and its Italian revival. This is always seen in direct contrast with that of the largely indigenous Northern European Gothic and medieval architecture, decoration and ornamental work. Digby Wyatt notes on a number of occasions throughout the chapter, of the consistent Italian hostility to Gothic forms and ideas promulgated by Northern European culture and that of the Italian intransigent dependence on the literal revival of classicism.
Illustration: Renaissance Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
However, the author is quick to give credit to the workmanship and skills that were present in Italy during the long period of the Renaissance, but the criticisms persist and are peppered throughout the chapter. They draw attention to the overly fussy and complicated ornamental work, the heavy reliance on forced and often ill-advised perspective and the odd use of pagan symbolism within a Christian context, as in images of satyrs and drinking gods within church and cathedral interiors.
The overall feeling is one of admiration for the technical skills base that was used for much of the basic construction elements of Renaissance decoration and ornament. However, twinned with that was a definite disapproving manner throughout the article for the heavy reliance and invasive qualities of what many in mid-Victorian Britain saw as a dead and somewhat inappropriate culture for Christian Europe to have adopted. As an example, Digby Wyatt drew attention to the case of Germany and the introduction of Renaissance decoration and ornamentation. The author saw this as a disastrous and ill-conceived melding of classical southern European cultural elements with that of an already existing and successful Northern European Gothic decorative structure.
Illustration: Renaissance Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
In conclusion, the chapter views the Renaissance style as being that of a valuable lesson in the cultivation of undoubted beauty and elegance, but also that of the hazards posed by extravagant excess. This could well be seen as a typical mid-nineteenth century British viewpoint of Europe. Elements of the Renaissance that tied in comfortably with the Victorian ideas concerning their own British Gothic Revival were plaudit, while other more excessive elements of Italian culture met with a more troubled and sometimes even dismissive stance.
Needless to say Owen Jones did not use any of the more exuberant and excessive qualities of Renaissance decoration and ornamentation in the colour plates that came with the chapter.
Further reading links:
The Grammar of Ornament: All 100 Color Plates from the Folio Edition of the Great Victorian Sourcebook of Historic Design (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Grammar of Ornament: A Monumental Work of Art
The Grammar of Ornament. Folio Edition
The Grammar of Ornament - Illustrated By Examples from Various Styles of Ornament - One Hundred and Twelve Plates
Renaissance Patterns for Lace, Embroidery and Needlepoint (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Fantastic Gothic and Renaissance Ornament (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Ornament of the Italian Renaissance
Painted Palaces: The Rise of Secular Art in Early Renaissance Italy
Furniture and Interior Decoration of the Italian Renaissance
Renaissance Decorative Painting in Scotland
The Renaissance Palace in Florence
Italian Renaissance Textile (International Design Library)
Italian Church Decoration of the Middle Ages and Early Renaissance: Functions, Forms, and Regional Traditions (Villa Spelman Colloquia)
English decorative plasterwork of the Renaissance,
Decorative Ornaments and Alphabets of the Renaissance (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Renaissance Ornaments and Designs (Dover Pictorial Archives)
The Italian Renaissance Interior, 1400-1600
Furniture and Interior decoration of the Italian Renaissance
