Imitation was afterward applied to the vegetable creation; and much of what is termed Ornament was derived from that class of elements.
The ELEMENTS OF DECORATION are the material used by the Artist. They might be considered to include everything that is visible; but since Decoration is a result of the æsthetic instinct, the field is narrowed to such as are pleasing at the first glance. And the selection is further limited to such as are suitable to the shape and size of objects.
They may be classified according to their relative Dignity, as follows:
- The Human form,
- Animal forms,
- Natural foliage,
- Artificial objects,
- Artificial foliage, and
- Geometrical figures.
§ 2.—THE TWO KINDS OF FOLIAGE.
A Distinction is made between natural and artificial foliage. They have much in common; and consequently many have supposed that our Western artificial foliage is merely a very-much-conventionalized version of natural foliage. The supposition is correct with regard to Eastern Pattern work, but not in Western Architectural ornamentation.
A simple generalization may make this clear. The ordinary stock foliage of the Ornamentist was evolved in connection with:
| (In the West) | (In the East) |
| ARCHITECTURE, as in Greece. | TEXTILES, as in Persia. |
Hence the primary Elements of decoration were derived from:
| (In the West) | (In the East) |
| GEOMETRICAL LINES, e.g. the meander, spiral, etc. | NATURAL FLOWERS and LEAVES, e.g. the pine, pomegranate, etc. |