Lucidario di Recami 1564

Iseppo Foresto printed "Lucidario di Recami" in Venice in 1564, using woodcut on paper. The relatively humble materials belie the book’s social significance. "Lucidario di Recami" translates to "The Embroidery Instruction Book." It’s essentially a pattern book designed to be used by lacemakers and other needleworkers. The designs are rendered with a sharp, graphic quality, emphasizing the skill and labor needed to execute them. Though created via printmaking, a relatively industrial process for the time, the book valorizes handcraft. With the rise of a merchant class in the 16th century, fashionable clothing and home furnishings became increasingly important markers of status. Books like this helped to disseminate elite tastes more broadly, influencing the look and feel of domestic life for a growing segment of society. We can see this book, therefore, as part of a broader cultural shift, in which printed matter, craft skills, and commercial aspirations were deeply intertwined.