Ralph Nicholson Wornum1812–1877Drawing
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
Victoria and Albert Museum
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- 7 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 25, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the work
Object Type
This visual aid for learning has two holes, encircled by metal, at the top for suspension from a piece of equipment used by Ralph Nicholson Wornum during his lectures. It is one of a series of diagrams used for this purpose. Wornum published the gist of his lectures in which he refers to diagrams just as a lecturer today might point to a visual aid.
Subjects Depicted
The ornament in this diagram is taken from Owen Jones's publication, 'Plans, Elevations, Sections and Details of The Alhambra (1842-1845). He travelled to Turkey and Egypt, whilst still training to be an architect, and became convinced of the value and vitality of non-European decoration, specifically the strong clear colour and polychrome (multi-colour) decoration on both the interiors and exteriors of buildings.
Historical Associations
Read on
Wornum refers to the cost of decorating mosques and the Alhambra in spain with the type of decoration illustrated in this diagram. He uses the example of the reproduction of the Alhambra in the Crystal Palace as a place to see this type of decoration. Built for the Great Exhibition of 1851, the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham, in south east London, in 1852. It was here that architecture displays were added to its exhibits.
'the Alhambra that was as expensive to paint and gild, as it was to build it. You will see that in the Crystal Palace where a great deal of it has been reproduced.'
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- 313
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
