Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 16 (recto)

Art Historical Context

In the turbulent final years King Henri III's reign (4–1589), France's Wars of Religion this woodcut from page16 (recto) ofLes Singuliers etouveaux Portraicts* captures the Renaissance fascination with innovative portraiture and ornament. Published in 1588 by engr Jean Le Clerc, designs possibly influenced by pattern-maker Federico de Vinciolo, page likely features stylized depictions of Henri III, King of France and Poland alongside his queen, Louise de Lorraine-Vaud. These "singular and new portraits" blend iconography with decorative motifs reflecting the era's courtly elegance and Italianate influences in French art. Woodcuts like this one, measuring a compact 8 1/16 x 6 5/16 inches, were revolutionary for their time, enabling affordable reproduction of intricate patterns in books. Classified under ornament and architecture at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (acquired via the Rogers Fund in 1918), it served as a practical guide for artisans crafting lace, embroidery, textiles, and architectural details. Such prints democratized high fashion and design, spreading opulent motifs from royal courts to workshops across Europe. Today, this fragile survivor offers a window into 16th-century visual culture, where portraiture met ornamentation in a dance of power and beauty.