Elizabethan No.2 1856

Owen Jones created this print, Elizabethan No.2, as part of his studies on historical design. Notice the overall composition, a structured grid filled with various ornamental patterns, each a distinct study in Elizabethan design. The limited color palette focuses attention on the intricate linework and the balance between positive and negative space. Jones's work can be viewed through the lens of structuralism. Each pattern is a self-contained system, but it also functions as a sign within the larger composition. Consider how these patterns were originally conceived as elements for architectural and decorative arts. Jones isolates them, inviting us to analyze their formal qualities. The organization of the print encourages a semiotic reading, where each motif carries cultural and historical information about Elizabethan aesthetics. Jones doesn't just replicate these designs, he re-presents them, inviting a new kind of engagement, not just of use but also of interpretation. The repetition and variation across the patterns highlight the underlying structures of Elizabethan design, transforming a historical style into a field of visual study.