Decorative Patterns from Historic Sources by James Spero (1986, Paperback)

Part of Dover Publications' Design Library series, this little collection is a selection by Dover editor James Spero of 181 patterns from J. Englehorn, "Flat Ornament: A Pattern book of Designs of Textile, Embroideries, Wall Papers, Inlays &C" Stuttgart, no date [cited as "1890?" in a 1908 New York Public Library bibliography].

The patterns range from floral arabesques to overall patterns, rendered in a pure black and white that appears to capture the original design intent. The latter is often altered or obscured in the original by distortion from printing, changes in the substrate (as in wood warping or cracking), or casual execution by the original artist.

With few exceptions, everything here is grounded in strongly geometric composition in the spirit of the Islamic design that so captivated first Venice, then the rest of late medieval and early Renaissance Europe.

Sources include print (especially border patterns), floor and wall tile, inlaid wood (especially intarsia), fabric, metalworking and more.

Spero's selection - or possibly Engelhorn's original selection - is more timeless than many of the standard ornament books produced in the same era, such as Owen Jones' "Grammar of Ornament" or Lacroix' "Arts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance." More often than not, the latter focus on patterns with a strongly Victorian character, with plenty of romantic elements, overblown intricacy and anything-goes-if-it-looks-old eclecticism.

The patterns in this book do include highly intricate confections that would have delighted a Victorian, but the majority are balanced and elegant - even restrained and 'modern' at times - and you feel as though they convey the spirit of the original clearly, with minimal cultural distortion. (In this respect, you can judge this book by its cover: the design sense, strong pattern, and direct statement you see there is mirrored throughout the book).

There is one significant drawback. Engelhorn apparently was lax (or maybe just laconic) about sources. "Sixteenth century textile designs" doesn't convey much. Where were they from? Early or late (since so much transpired in Europe in the 1500s)? From a Renaissance powerhouse or a backwater? That said, sometimes you get the venue, but you wish for more.

Bottom line, this is a good general reference for a broad variety of pattern ornament, and is almost always a bargain on the used-book market.