Essempio di recammi, page 18 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut page comes from *Essempio di recammi* (“Examples of Embroidery”), a pattern book published in Venice in 1530 by Giovanni Antonio Tagliente and his brothers. Created during the height of the Italian Renaissance, such volumes offered needleworkers and artisans accessible designs for clothing, linens, and furnishings, reflecting the era’s growing interest in ornament and the spread of printed knowledge beyond elite workshops. Tagliente’s woodcut technique allowed intricate interlacing motifs and floral patterns to be reproduced affordably and uniformly, transforming hand-drawn designs into widely circulated models. As both a practical manual and a work of art, the book bridged the worlds of printmaking and textile craft, helping to standardize decorative tastes across Europe. Housed today in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this single sheet captures how Renaissance print culture democratized ornament, turning private embroidery traditions into shared visual resources that continue to inspire designers and historians alike.

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