Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 49 (verso) 1588

This is page 49 from "Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts...", a book of lace-making patterns created in the late 16th century by Federico de Vinciolo. At this time, the production of lace occupied a central place in the fashion industry, and pattern books like this one played a crucial role in the dissemination of new designs. The geometric patterns here were meant to be translated into the interlaced structure of needle and bobbin lace. These designs became a popular method for the creation of clothing and domestic decor throughout Europe. Vinciolo's pattern book, printed in France, reflects the growing commercialization of the fashion industry, and the ways that new technologies like printing could facilitate the spread of luxury goods and tastes. Understanding the conditions in which such objects were made and consumed offers a fascinating window onto the economic and social life of the early modern period. Such books were of enormous cultural significance, as taste and design became ever more central to social life.