Moresque No.3a 1856

Owen Jones made this page of Moresque patterns using chromolithography, a color printing technique, during the height of Victorian design reform. Here, layers of color are built up to give a sense of depth and richness. The process involved making a separate stone printing plate for each color, a labor-intensive task. It's the layering of these colors that gives the patterns their visual texture, almost like embossed surfaces. Jones was interested in historical styles, particularly Islamic art, and believed that good design could improve society. These patterns were intended to inspire contemporary designers, part of a broader movement to elevate design standards through the study of historical ornament. The printing process itself – a blend of craft skill and industrial production – mirrors the fusion of handcraft and mass production that defined the Victorian era. Ultimately, this print asks us to consider the social role of design, and the value of both skilled labor and historical knowledge in creating a more beautiful, and perhaps better, world.