Pretiosa Gemma delle virtuose donne, page 13 (recto) 1600

This is a page from ‘Pretiosa Gemma delle virtuose donne,’ or ‘Precious Gem for Virtuous Women,’ created by Isabella Catanea Parasole in the late 16th or early 17th century. As a pattern book, it offered designs for lace-making, an essential skill and signifier of status for women in that era. Parasole was not only an artist but also a businesswoman. In a time when female artists often remained anonymous or were associated with male relatives, she managed her own workshop with her husband, actively participating in the artistic and economic life of her time. Her pattern books were luxury items, reflecting the increasing value placed on women's education and accomplishments, but also reinforcing the gendered expectations of feminine virtue and domestic skill. The geometric patterns here are more than mere decoration; they represent a complex interplay of social roles, artistic expression, and economic agency. Consider the intricate labor embedded in each design, and how Parasole navigated the patriarchal structures of her time, crafting not only lace patterns but also her own identity as a successful artist.