La vera perfettione del disegno di varie sorti di recami, page 2 (recto)
1557
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Overall: 5 11/16 x 7 1/2 in. (14.5 x 19 cm)
Classification
Books|Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mary M. Greenwood, in memory of Eliza Rudd Greenwood, 1953
Accession Number
53.566.8(1)
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of 16th-century Italian design with *La vera perfettione del di varie sorti di recami, page 2 (recto)*, a woodcut print by Giovanni Ostaus from 1557. This delicate page, measuring just 5 11/16 x 7 1/2 inches, is part of an early pattern book showcasing "the true perfection of drawing various of embroideries." Ostaus, a Venetian printmaker, captured elaborate motifs ideal for lace, needlework, and textiles—think scrolling vines, fantastical flowers, and geometric interlacing that would adorn sleeves, collars, and altar cloths of the Renaissance elite. Woodcuts lik...