Originally published over 160 years ago, Owen Jones’ Grammar of Ornament literature highlights the stunning patterns, motifs, and ornaments spanning across 19 diverse architectural design periods. These intricate illustrations found within the 112 illustrated plates – made into pages, explore design principles of architecture, textiles, manuscripts, and decorative arts. Grammar of Ornament is a monumental publishing project that raised the standards of decorative painting.
Trained as an architect, designer, and design theorist, Owen Jones was one of the more significant influencers of the Victorian era. His pioneering studies on color theory, geometry, and form still inspire designers to this day. Jones’ life work was to convince others that the foundations for good, modern design could be found by understanding history - to make use of the rich underlying design principles – the grammar – for future decorative works. At Canning, we are expert “Preservation Problem Solvers” with a goal of Perfecting Preservation™ - finding architectural arts restoration, preservation, and conservation solutions for the most complex problems – while also operating on a “do no harm” principle. Highlighted are some recent Canning projects that have displayed various propositions from the Grammar of Ornament.
Featuring Proposition 1 - The Decorative Arts arise from, and should properly be attendant upon, Architecture. –the Mellon Auditorium is a Classical Revival style design built in 1934, located in Washington D.C., that has just recently seen a complete, multi-finish restoration by John Canning & Co. Our preservation approach using both traditional materials and techniques allowed for a complex restoration that maintained the historical character and properties of the original structure. Listed as a National Landmark with the National Register of Historic Places, the Mellon Auditorium underwent restoration in the following trade disciplines - historic color matching, stone conservation cleaning, restoration and repair, gilding, decorative painting, and plaster repair. As a civic restoration contractor, we have restored historic state houses, federal landmarks, and iconic buildings across the nation. Another civic building to mention where the Grammar of Ornament can be awed over is the Connecticut State Capitol, built in 1878. Following Proposition 8 - All ornament should be based upon a geometrical construction - Canning replicated and reproduced a William McPherson multi-layer geometric stencil design in-studio on canvas to later be installed on the project site. A master of the Aesthetic Movement Style, McPherson’s paint decoration design and execution are described as flat, two-dimensional, rigidly symmetrical, and of Moorish influence. This design complimented the original architectural style of the Aesthetic, Eastlake movement. McPherson was mentored by David Hay who had written several literatures on color theory and geometric design. The present-day restoration work performed by Canning focused on restoring areas of decorative painting within the two atriums below the central skylight, due to chronic water damage affecting the historic appearance.
Glancing toward our liturgical work, a project highlight that exemplifies Proposition 6 - Beauty of form is produced by lines growing out of one from the other in gradual undulations: there are no excrescences; nothing could be removed and leave the design equally good or better. - of the Grammar or Ornament features the Greek Revival styled First Church of Christ, built circa 1832 in Woodbridge, CT. Here, Canning performed plaster repair, repainting, and redecoration techniques within to the church’s ceiling, walls, and sanctuary featuring trompe l’oeil. Prepared in-studio on canvas, Canning artisans recreated multiple, varying trompe l’oeil designs to later be installed by Canning technicians on site.
Used as a mantra and guiding principle to our 48-year-old preservation efforts, Canning integrates the Grammar of Ornament into all our projects – most prominently Proposition 1 - The Decorative Arts arise from, and should properly be attendant upon, Architecture. Well-known for architecture decoration fundamentals, historic pattern styles, and color schemes, Owen Jones commissioned the pattern drawings, articulated the propositions, and published the collection that would remain a relevant guide to historic decoration and restoration resource today.
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Latest Articles & Announcements |
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| 7 Paint Techniques Leveraged in American Historic Buildings |
Decorative paint techniques create visual excitement and cohesive design through embellished surfaces of unique textures and finishes. To consider paint only as a protective coating used in the architectural restoration, preservation, and conservation industry is to misunderstand its meaning as an essential aspect of America’s heritage. John Canning & Co.’s artisans have decades of collective experience and expertise to deliver the highest quality craftsmanship for decorative painting and finishes restoration. Through the use of traditional methods and materials, Canning is carrying forward these SEVEN painting techniques.
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| The Fine Art Restoration Process |
Fine art restoration is a testament to the enduring power of art and the commitment to safeguarding the treasures of human creativity. Behind the scenes, highly skilled professionals work tirelessly to preserve and rejuvenate these cultural treasures, ensuring they continue to captivate audiences for generations - bridging the past and the present. Through the expertise and dedication of skilled conservators, artworks can be revived to their former glory. This process not only preserves our cultural heritage but also allows us to continue experiencing the beauty, history, and stories contained within these masterpieces.
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Happy Birthday Month to Architect William Adams Delano - the original architect of the Sterling Divinity School at Yale University and contributing partner of Delano & Aldrich. Through the years Canning has been called upon for our expertise to worked on many projects on the Yale campus. Honored by the opportunity, our firm was contracted to perform the gilding of the Quadrangle Chapel Steeple's dome. The gilding work involved surface preparation, slow-set oil size, and gold leaf application.
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Savingplaces is kicking off 2024 by interviewing nine preservationists about their annual preservation resolutions – most have their intentions set on building stronger partnerships, challenging assumptions, and to continually fill gaps in the narrative. One preservationist goes on the say their intent is “to engage others in conversations and establish lifelong inspirations to preserve all histories of all people in our communities for generations to come.” Discover all nine 2024 preservation resolutions here.
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Discover this Connecticut-based, National Historic Landmark’s Gothic Revival features, patterned wallpaper, and antique furniture of Architect Jonathan Sturges’ Cottage during Afternoon Tea - February 10, 2024. An American businessman, arts patron, and philanthropist, Sturges became an important American patron of the arts who commissioned numerous paintings from various American artists. House tours, selected books, and libations will be offered by hosts PreservationCT, whose mission is to preserve, protect, and promote the buildings, sites, and landscapes that contribute to the heritage and vitality of Connecticut communities.
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The upcoming 2024 APTNE Annual Meeting & Symposium is the integration of preservation and facilities management, featuring presentations from professionals, emerging professionals, and local students on March 1, 2024. As facilities plan for the future, they must acknowledge and adjust for the unique challenges of their spaces that frequently do not meet modern code requirements. Preservation professionals work with facility managers, directors, caretakers, stewards, and contractors on the tasks of maintaining, upgrading, and retrofitting their historic and existing properties, bringing useful skills that can ensure these plans are sensitively implemented.
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Interested in Seeing More of Our Work? Follow Us on TikTok! |
The astounding effect of gilding is so enticing that it has been an element of decoration since the 23rd century BC. Certain forms of gilding date back to as early as ancient Egypt, having been found integrated into paintings from Egyptian tombs.
Gilding is the decorative process of applying a layer of metal to a certain surface in order to provide it with a unique beauty and richness. This is done using very thin sheets of the desired metal called leaf, which, when applied to a surface using adhesive, gives the appearance of solid gold, silver, copper or whatever metal leaf is used. |
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We understand the importance in sharing our expertise and knowledge in our field. Besides the monthly newsletter and blogs we post, we also develop and share downloadable resources to help guide you in your conservation, preservation and restoration projects. Check out the Resources page and see if any of the resources can help answer some of your questions and provide a better understanding of some of the intricacies in the preservation field.
Check out our Featured Downloadable Resource below.
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Gilding leaf is made from all types of metal - gold, silver, copper, aluminum, imitation leaf, however, the most common is gold leaf which can vary in weight and gold content. It is important to choose a gold leaf with a heavy weight and high gold content for all exterior projects, since they must withstand weathering environmental factors like rain, wind, snow, sleet, hail.
Gold leaf used for exterior projects should be 23.75 karats, weighing 21 - 23 grams per 1000 sheets. John Canning & Co. exclusively uses gold leaf of 23 grams for all exterior projects, most of which is manufactured in Italy. Transfer leaf is adhered to a sheet of special transfer paper that gets applied to an object with a little pressure and is suitable for exterior and interior projects. Transfer leaf can come packaged in booklet or in roll leaf (long sheets of leaf that can be trimmed to various sizes and is typically used for applying leaf over large areas).
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| As a national nonprofit preservation organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation works to save America's historic places and is a great resource for anyone looking to learn more or get involved. |
| | The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. |
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