Schön newes Modelbuch (Page 60r)

Art Historical Context

Step into the intricate world of 17th-century ornamental design with *Schön newes Modelbuch (Page 60r)* by Sigismundus Lat, a woodcut from 1608 now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department. This page, measuring a compact 4 1/2 x 6 11/16 inches, is part of a "beautiful new pattern book"—a practical guide for artisans crafting lace, embroidery, metalwork, and architecture. Latomus, a German pattern designer, created these books to share elaborate motifs, blending Renaissance symmetry with emerging Baroque flourish. Woodcuts like this were revolutionary for their time, allowing mass reproduction of precise designs via carved wooden blocks inked and pressed onto paper. Page 60r likely showcases scrolling foliage, strapwork, or fantastical grotesques—hallmarks of ornamental prints that democratized high-style decoration for workshops across Europe. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1924, it exemplifies how such model books fueled the decorative arts during a golden age of craftsmanship. Today, this delicate print reminds us of the unsung heroes behind opulent textiles and furnishings, bridging art and everyday luxury in the early modern era.

About the Artist

Sigismundus Latomus · 1599–1632

Sigismundus Latomus, born in Schleusingen, Germany, around 1599, emerged as a prominent publisher and printer in Frankfurt am Main during the early seventeenth century. Little is known about his early life or formal training, as historical records focus primarily on his professional output rather than personal background. Active from 1599 until his death around 1627, Latomus specialized in the pro...