Opera Nova Universali intitulata Corona di racammi
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Overall: 8 7/8 x 6 7/8 in. (22.5 x 17.5 cm)
Classification
Books|Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932
Accession Number
32.54.1(1-76)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the Renaissance world of intricate design with *Opera Nova Universali intitolata Corona di racammi (New Universal Work Ent Crown of Embroider), a charming 1530 woodcut pattern by Venetian printer Giovanni Andrea Vavassore. Measuring just 8⅞ × 6⅞ inches, this compact volume from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department was crafted for artisans seeking inspiration. Woodcuts, a hallmark of early printmaking, allowed for affordable reproduction of motifs, bridging the gap between elite workshops and everyday craftspeople. Vavassore's pages burst with delicate orna...
About the Artist
Giovanni Andrea Vavassore · 1530–1573
**Giovanni Andrea Vavassore (c. 1490s–1572)** Giovanni Andrea Vavassore, also known as Zoan Andrea or Guadagnino, hailed from Telgate near Bergamo in the Venetian terraferma and established himself in Venice by the early 16th century as a skilled wood engraver. His early life remains sparsely documented, with no records of formal training or mentors, though his initial output as a xylographer rev...