Essempio di recammi, page 22 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut comes from *Essempio di recammi*, a 1530 embroidery pattern book printed in Venice by Giovanni Antonio Tagliente and his brothers. Page 22 (recto) exemplifies the practical yet elegant designs that Renaissance artisans used to guide needlework. As both a printer and author, Tagliente helpedize instructional manuals that made sophisticated ornamental motifs accessible beyond court workshops. In the early sixteenth century, woodcut printing revolutionized the spread of textile patterns across Europe. These affordable volumes allowed embroiderers—from professional seamstresses to noblewomen—to reproduce intricate floral, geometric, and figural designs with precision. The book’s classification as both “Prints” and “Ornament & Architecture” underscores how such patterns influenced not only clothing but also interior furnishings and architectural decoration. Today, this page offers a vivid glimpse into the collaborative world of Renaissance craft, where printed images bridged the gap between fine art and domestic skill. Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection highlights the enduring value of these modest yet influential works in documenting how design knowledge circulated in the age of print.

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