Renaissance Ornament no. 7. Ornaments from pottery at Hotel Cluny and Louvre 

Owen Jones made this color lithograph, Renaissance Ornament no. 7, sometime in the mid-19th century. It depicts various Renaissance-style ornaments found on pottery at the Hotel Cluny and the Louvre in Paris. Jones was a British architect and designer, but more than that, he was a key figure in the 19th-century design reform movement. His most influential work, "The Grammar of Ornament", sought to classify and codify the decorative arts of various cultures and historical periods. He believed that by studying these historical examples, contemporary designers could create more beautiful and functional objects. These examples of Renaissance ornament reflect a renewed interest in classical forms, but Jones, influenced by figures such as Pugin, encouraged designers to consider the social role of art. Jones hoped to elevate the taste of the public and improve the quality of manufactured goods. The South Kensington Museum, now the V&A, was established at the same time to do just that. By consulting design books like this one, we can understand the visual culture of an era.