Trionfo Di Virtu. Libro Novo..., page 12 (recto)
1563
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
Overall: 9 13/16 x 7 7/8 in. (25 x 20 cm)
Classification
Books|Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1937
Accession Number
37.47.1(22)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of Renaissance Venice with *Trionfo Di Virtu. Libro Novo...*, page 12 (recto), a delicate woodcut by Matteo Pagano from 1563. Pagano, a prolific Venetian publisher and engraver, crafted this page as part of a "New Book" celebrating the Triumph of Virtue—an allegorical theme blending moral philosophy with decorative splendor. Measuring 9 13/16 7 7/8 inches, it exemplifies the era's pattern books, which served as treasure troves for artists, architects, and craftsmen seeking inspiration in ornamentation. Rendered in woodcut—a labor-intensive relief printing technique...
About the Artist
Matteo Pagano · 1515–1588
**Matteo Pagano (c. 1515–1588)** was a prominent Venetian printer, publisher, woodcut artist, and illustrator whose innovative designs bridged fine art and the decorative crafts during the Renaissance. Little is known about his early life, which remains sparsely documented, but he began his career as a woodblock cutter, working for the publisher Nicolò Zoppino on pattern books before establishing ...