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A New Book of Ornaments
Johnson, Thomas - Enlarge image
A New Book of Ornaments
- Object:
Title page
- Place of origin:
London, England (designed)
- Date:
1762 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Johnson, Thomas (designer)
- Materials and Techniques:
Etchings in the crayon manner, ink on paper
- Museum number:
E.416-1975
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 53a, case 5
Object Type
This print is an etching, which uses the action of acid to create lines on a metal printing plate. The plate was etched in such a way that the resultant print looks like a crayon drawing.
This print originally formed the title-page of a small book entitled A New Book of Ornaments, by the carver Thomas Johnson (born 1714; died after 1778). This small pattern book contained six sheets of Rococo designs for chimney-piece friezes and tablets. The title can be seen inscribed on the right-hand portion of the ruined wall.
People
Johnson, the publisher of this plate, was a furniture designer and carver. In addition, he taught drawing and modelling and issued several pattern books. On this title-page he has described A New Book of Ornaments as 'Useful for Youth to draw after'. He clearly intended his book for use by apprentices or young carvers, to help them learn the basics of Rococo design.
Subject Depicted
Johnson has included various Rococo motifs on this title-page, including the picturesquely ruined wall, the rustic scene with the herdsman and his cows, and the asymmetrical 'rocaille' (rockwork) cartouche that encloses the image.
