Moresque No.1 1856

Owen Jones produced "Moresque No. 1" as a lithograph, showcasing a variety of Moorish decorative patterns. This print reflects the 19th-century European fascination with so-called 'exotic' cultures and their design principles. Jones was influential in the Victorian design reform movement in Britain. The image comes from a time when the British Empire was at its peak and the study of non-Western art was encouraged within art institutions as a source of new ideas. Jones sought to extract and codify these principles. He used them as a means of elevating British design and manufacturing through instruction and example. His publication of "The Grammar of Ornament" was highly influential in art education. It codified design principles derived from a range of cultures. To properly understand "Moresque No. 1" requires us to consider the social and institutional context of Victorian England. We have to look at the complex relationship between imperial power, artistic production, and cultural exchange. We can do this through studying design treatises, exhibition catalogs, and the history of art education.