Studio delle virtuose Dame, page 10 (recto) 1597

This is page 10 from "Studio delle virtuose Dame," a book of embroidery patterns created by Isabella Catanea Parasole. It was printed with woodcut in Italy in the late 16th or early 17th century. The image shows two horizontal bands of floral patterns, likely intended as a guide for the popular needlework of the time. As a book of patterns this page represents the growth of a print culture that shaped domestic life. It also signals the rise of female artists like Parasole, who took advantage of expanding opportunities to participate in the commercial art world. Books like this played an important role in shaping notions of femininity and domestic virtue in early modern Europe. The professionalization of female artistry invites us to investigate the ways in which institutions, such as guilds and academies, mediated women's participation in the art world. By studying historical documents we can understand the complex interplay between art, gender, and society in the past.