Fiori di Ricami Nuovamente Posti in Luce, title page (recto)

Art Historical Context

Step into the intricate world of Renaissance design with *Fiori di Ricamiovamente Posti in* (Flowers of Embroider Newly Brought to Light), captivating woodcut title page from1591. Created by Sienese printers Matteo Flor and Francesco de' Frances, this modest yet elegant print measures just 5½ x 7⅞ inches (14 x 20 cm). As part of a pattern book in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies the era's fascination with ornamental motifs, blending floral "flowers" with embroidery-inspired patterns classified under Ornament & Architecture. Woodcuts like this were revolutionary for their time, allowing precise replication of complex designs for artisans across Europe. Produced during the late Italian Renaissance, these books democratized elaborate embroidery and lace patterns, inspiring tailors, weavers, and decorators to recreate lavish textiles for nobility and clergy. The title page (recto) likely showcases symmetrical floral arabesques and architectural flourishes, highlighting the technical mastery of woodblock carving to capture fine details on a small scale. Today, gifted to the Met through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1953, this print offers a window into 16th-century craft culture, where art met utility. It reminds us how such humble pages fueled the opulent fashions and furnishings of the Renaissance, bridging fine art and everyday creativity.

About the Artist

Matteo Florimi|Francesco de' Franceschi (Italian|Italian) · 1581 |1572 –1613 |1622

Italian, active Siena, ca. 1581–died 1613|Italian, Borgo San Sepolcro (Sansepolcro) 1572–1622 Borgo San Sepolcro (Sansepolcro)