Response: “Ornament” and the Sources of Design in the Decorative Arts

Throughout the reading Ivins focuses on the role played by design and ornamentation and why it is relevant and necessary to archive prints and drawings and books of them to study their role within the context of their time and to inspire new design. Ivins parallels the works of engravers to the work of composers as an example of works intended to be manipulated by others hands and viewed through fresh eyes. Engravers were influenced by painters, continuously manipulating one idea to the next.

            The invention of the printing press revolutionized accessibility to designs and illustrations of patterns. Ivins highlights the importance of studying drawings, prints, and book decorations because they will help us learn more about the growth and development of ornaments within their time and beyond and to use them as inspiration for new design.