Lucidario di Recami, page 13 (verso) 1564

Iseppo Foresto created this page from "Lucidario di Recami" in the 16th century using woodcut and letterpress. The black ink against the off-white paper creates high contrast, immediately catching the eye. Three vertical panels dominate the composition, each filled with intricate, curvilinear designs of flora and geometric shapes. The structure suggests a kind of visual syntax, a language of forms. Foresto employs symmetry and repetition within each panel, yet varies the patterns enough to prevent monotony. We see leaves, flowers, and globular forms linked by winding vines and circles. These naturalistic motifs are rendered with an emphasis on line, creating a delicate, almost lace-like effect. Consider the implications of this design within its historical context. These patterns were intended as models for embroidery, practical tools for artisans. Yet, Foresto elevates them to art. The interplay between utility and aesthetics destabilizes traditional categories of art and craft. Each repetition is never identical, this subtle play disrupts the very notion of fixed forms, opening a space for continuous re-interpretation.