Illustration: Chinese Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
Although Owen Jones was to publish a volume entirely dedicated to Chinese ornament in 1867, The Grammar of Chinese Ornament, he had included only a slim chapter on the subject in his 1856 volume The Grammar of Ornament. The earlier chapter was a much smaller affair than the 1867 book, but was also relatively small compared to some of the other chapters in the book. Only four colour plates were included along with one page of text.
Illustration: Satellite map of China.
Interestingly, Jones was relatively dismissive of Chinese architecture, ornamentation and decoration, something that he was to correct in the 1867 volume. He gave the distinct impression that as far as he was concerned Chinese decoration was a limited and localised style that was prone to stagnation. He seemed to find little if any development in either style or technical achievement. This could be conceived as either ignorance or lack of information, as the 1867 volume seemed much more acutely aware of the Chinese achievements in the decorative arts than the small chapter published in 1856.
The lack of both data and imagery in any form of first hand knowledge was a decidedly acute handicap to the critic. In the nineteenth century, particularly in the first half, collections tended to be limited and travel to such distant areas of the planet as China were both difficult and hazardous for most Europeans. To be limited to collections, mostly in London, was a distinct problem to both Jones in particular and any attempt to form a detailed criticism of world art, design and decoration in general.
Illustration: Chinese Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
As the century progressed into its second half, examples from across the planet, much of it admittedly acquired through colonial invasions and occupations began to fill in the gaps in the knowledge base held by Europeans. This added greatly to the ever-widening vocabulary of the world of the decorative arts, while at the same time allowing critics to begin slowly and often painfully placing Europe within its correct context.
One point of praise that Jones did concede to Chinese decoration was that of the harmonious balance of colour. He felt that although the Chinese had no real significant history in either architecture or ornamentation, they had instead spent time and effort on the understanding of colour and its importance within the sphere of decoration.
Illustration: Chinese Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
It may seem astounding to us in the twenty first century that Jones so little understood the complexities and uniqueness of both Chinese culture and its contribution to the decorative arts. Chinese decoration appears to have had a long history in Europe through the Chinoiserie style. However, this was a largely European based interpretation of China conceived over a great distance and over considerable cultural and artistic barriers. it therefore had little if any merit as a legitimate style deriving from China itself.
To many Europeans China in 1856 was still considered an unexplored and mysterious culture full a uniqueness and individuality that was both perplexing and intriguing. As the century progressed, European confusion over Chinese culture and decoration became a little clearer as can be found in Jones's 1867 volume. As time progressed, Jones obviously began to understand and appreciate through more positive data and imagery, the complexities of a unique cultural heritage.
Illustration: Chinese Ornament from Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament, 1856.
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