Gemma pretiosa della virtuose donne, page 15 (recto)

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, where we encounter *Gemma pretiosa virtuose donne, page15 (recto)*, a delicate woodcut from 1625. Created by the pioneering Italian artist Isabella Catanea Parasole collaboration with Gugliel Facciotti, this hails from a book whose title translates to "Pre Gem of Virtuous Women Measuring just 5 5/16 x 7 11/16 inches, it exemplifies the ornamental prints popular in early 17th-century Italy, blending intricate patterns with themes of femininity and domestic elegance. Woodcuts like this one were revolutionary for their time, a relief printing technique that allowed affordable reproduction of complex designs for embroidery, lace-making, and textiles—arts often associated with women's virtuous pursuits. Parasole, one of the few female printmakers of the era, specialized in such motifs, bridging Mannerist intricacy with emerging Baroque flourish. This page, classified under Ornament & Architecture, likely features scrolling foliate designs or architectural fantasies, reflecting the Renaissance fascination with pattern books as tools for artisans and homemakers. Generously gifted in 1953 by Mary M. Greenwood in memory of Eliza Rudd Greenwood, this work highlights women's roles in both creating and consuming decorative arts. It invites us to appreciate how such modest prints democratized beauty, turning everyday crafts into expressions of refinement and piety.

About the Artist

Isabella Catanea Parasole|Gugliemo Facciotti (Italian|Italian) · 1565 | –1625 |

Italian, ca. 1565/70–ca. 1625|