Plate 1: Temple, from "A New Book of Chinese Designs"
Etched and published by Matthias Darly British
Artist and publisher George Edwards British
Not on view
First plate of 'A New Book of Chinese Designs', consisting of a title page, index, and 120 plates, etched and published in 1754 by the British caricaturist, printseller and ornamental engraver Matthew Darly, in collaboration with George Edwards. The book consists of a variety of ornamental and costume designs of Chinese inspiration, some of them copies of the original works (including the title).
This plate consists of a design for a Chinese temple, with a wind vane on the upper part, and two men sitting near the center, wearing Chinese clothing. The ceilings of the temple are made of straw, and C-scrolls frame them. There are various alternatives for the designs for window and door frames, and between different areas of the temple are rails with geometric motifs, flanked above with vases, in some cases with small trees, also presenting alternatives for the design. Large rocks are outside the temple.
