Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 69 (recto) 1588

This is an embroidery and weaving pattern book printed around 1587, attributed to Federico de Vinciolo, portraying "La Deesse des fleurs representant le Printemps," the goddess of flowers representing Spring. Note the goddess, her form articulated through a grid of woven stitches, holding sprigs of flowers. The goddess figure, a symbol of nature's regenerative power, has roots stretching back to antiquity. We can see echoes of Flora, the Roman goddess of springtime, whose image adorned countless frescoes and tapestries, each iteration a testament to the enduring human fascination with renewal. Consider how, across centuries, Flora's image shifts, yet the core idea remains: the perennial return of life. This image of the goddess is not merely a representation of spring; it is a vessel carrying the weight of collective memory, a subconscious yearning for rebirth. The image engages us on a primal level, stirring feelings that resonate with the cyclical rhythms of nature itself. Each time the image resurfaces, it reinvents itself, carrying the weight of the past while simultaneously embracing the future.