Le Pompe: Opera Nova, page 6 (recto) 1557

This is a page from "Le Pompe: Opera Nova," a book of lace patterns printed in Venice, Italy, during the 16th century. These books, produced by Giovanni Battista and Marchio Sessa, were pattern books offering designs for the creation of lace, an intricate open fabric. The designs shown here reflect the geometric aesthetic popular in the Renaissance, and served a vital function in the booming textile industry. Lace making was often done by women, offering them a means of income and a degree of economic independence. These pattern books played a crucial role in standardizing designs and disseminating them widely, impacting the development of fashion and domestic decor. As historians, examining pattern books like "Le Pompe" gives us insight into the artistic tastes and economic structures of the time. By studying such documents, along with surviving examples of lace, we can better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production. The art of lace then, becomes contingent on the socio-economic context, rather than simply an aesthetic endeavor.