Trionfo Di Virtu. Libro Novo..., page 24 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut, created by the Venetian printmaker Matteo Pagano in 1563, forms page 24 (recto) of the book *Trionfo di Virtù. Libro Novo...*. As a medium, the woodcut was prized during the Renaissance for its ability to produce crisp, repeatable lines that could be bound into affordable volumes, allowing ornamental designs and moral allegories to reach a wide audience of artists, craftsmen, and educated readers. The page teems with an extraordinary menagerie—lions, camels, dragons, monkeys, deer, and more—interwoven with vases, urns, and architectural motifs. These lively creatures likely serve both decorative and symbolic purposes, illustrating the “triumph of virtue” through lively, emblematic imagery that encouraged viewers to reflect on moral qualities associated with different animals. Housed today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this sheet exemplifies the period’s fusion of art, architecture, and printed ornament. Its compact size (roughly 25 × 20 cm) made it ideal for study or copying by designers seeking inspiration for textiles, ceramics, and architectural decoration.

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 ...