Lucidario di Recami, page 5 (verso) 1564

This is page five from "Lucidario di Recami," made by Iseppo Foresto around the mid-16th century. Look closely at the black ink against the off-white paper. Foresto uses line and form to create two distinct decorative borders on this page. On the left, notice how the vine-like tendrils are caged within a grid, creating structure through constraint. In contrast, the border on the right flows more freely, even as it's framed by solid lines. Here, the arrangement of flowers, leaves, and vases offers a study in controlled asymmetry. The motifs are repeated, but their placement varies, giving a sense of natural growth within an artificial construct. This tension between order and freedom is key. Foresto's design isn't just decoration; it's a dialogue. Through simple lines and repeating shapes, the artwork subtly questions the relationship between nature and artifice, control and expression, inviting us to consider the underlying structures that shape our perception of beauty.