Splendore delle virtuose giovani, page 7 (recto) 1564

Iseppo Foresto created this woodcut, page 7 from "Splendore delle virtuose giovani", in Venice, Italy, during the mid-16th century. It’s a pattern book, intended to provide a repertoire of designs for the so-called virtuous young women of the time. But who were these women and what virtues were they meant to embody? In Renaissance Italy, a woman’s value was often tied to her domestic skills and moral purity. Books like this offered patterns for embroidery and lace-making, skills that were not only practical but also symbolized a woman's ability to manage her household and contribute to her family's wealth. The designs, featuring idealized motifs of vases, plants, and symmetrical forms, reflect the period’s emphasis on order and beauty. But viewed through a contemporary lens, we can see how such books also prescribed and reinforced gender roles, limiting women’s identities to the domestic sphere. The “splendor” celebrated here is thus a complex mix of artistic expression and social constraint, echoing both the beauty and the burdens placed on women in that era.