Spectator Out Loud: Nadine Dorries, Katy Balls, Edmund West, Sam Dalrymple, and Tanjil Rashid

First published in 1856, The Grammar of Ornament is a seminal work by Owen Jones that presents a global and historical perspective on decorative arts. The book includes 100 chromolithographic plates and covers a wide range of ornamental styles, from ancient Egyptian and Greek to Byzantine, Arabian, Turkish, and more. Jones's work is based on 37 key principles governing the arrangement of form and color in architecture and the decorative arts. The final chapter, 'Leaves and Flowers from Nature,' emphasizes the importance of natural forms in ornamental design. The book has been highly influential in design education and continues to be a valuable resource for contemporary designers[1][3][5].