Opera Nova Universali intitulata Corona di racammi, page 24 (recto)
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(47)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of Renaissance ornamentation with this woodcut from Giovanni Andrea Vavassore's *Opera Nova Universali intitolata Corona di racammi* (New Universal Work Entitled Crown of Embroideries), page 24 (recto), printed around 1530. Vavassore, a prolific Venetian publisher and engraver, created this pattern book to inspire artisans in lace-making, embroidery, and textile design. At just 8 7/8 x 6 7/8 inches, this modest page bursts with elegant motifs, showcasing the era's fascination with symmetrical, floral, and grotesque decorations that adorned everything from clothing...
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...