Jones Owen

Jones, Owen, the son of a prosperous furrier and Welsh archaeologist, was born in London in 1809, and carefully educated as an architect. Powerfully i mpressed by the sight of the Alhambra, he concentrated his attention on the internal decoration of buildings, and may fairly be said to have brought about a revolution in taste, especially as regards the use of colour. He took part in the creation of the Exhibition of 1851, and arranged the beautiful courts in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, having as his colleague Sir .Digby Wyatt. He built St. James's Hall in 1858, but most of his later years were spent in the decoration of private mansions, one interesting exercise of his skill being the adornment of the Palace of the, Khedive. He also wrote many books on his favourite theme, and of these The Grammar of Ornamentis the most valuable. He died in 1874.