Essempio di recammi, page 11 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut page comes from *Essempio di recammi*, a 1530 pattern book printed in Venice by Giovanni Antonio Tagliente in collaboration with the da Sabio brothers. The volume offered practical embroidery designs for contemporary needleworkers, reflecting the growing demand for accessible craft manuals during the Italian Renaissance. As a printed resource rather than a unique manuscript, it helped circulate ornamental motifs beyond court circles to a wider audience of artisans and gentlewomen. The medium of woodcut was ideally suited to such publications: its bold, repeatable lines translated cleanly onto fabric, preserving the crisp outlines needed for stitching. Page 11 (recto) features animal motifs, a popular decorative choice that blended natural observation with stylized ornament. These designs highlight the period’s fascination with both the natural world and intricate surface decoration. Today the sheet resides in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of prints and illustrated books, where it illustrates how Renaissance print culture bridged fine art and domestic craft. Its modest dimensions and functional purpose remind viewers that many celebrated graphic innovations served everyday creative pursuits.

About the Artist

Giovanni Antonio di Nicolini da Sabio e i fratelli|Giovanni Antonio Tagliente (Italian|Italian) · 1522 |1465 –1545 |1528

Italian, active Venice, ca. 1522–1545|Italian, Venice ca. 1465–1528 Venice