Les Secondes Oeuvres, et Subtiles Inventions De Lingerie du Seigneur Federic de Vinciolo Venitien, page 8 (recto) 1603

This is page 8 from "Les Secondes Oeuvres", a book of embroidery patterns by Federico de Vinciolo, published in the late 16th century. The design, rendered in stark black and white, presents a version of the Annunciation. What strikes one first is the pixelated effect, a grid of tiny squares which form the image. This rigid structure defines every figure and object, reducing them to their most basic shapes. Look at the angel, the Virgin Mary, the vase of lilies, even the radiant beams of light emanating from above. All are constructed from this grid, a visual language that speaks to the constraints and possibilities inherent in needlework. The design employs a limited tonal range to create contrast and definition, and what results is not merely decorative. The grid and binary tones become a metaphor for the very act of creation through labor, where each stitch is a deliberate mark in a larger pattern. Vinciolo’s pattern book elevates the craft to a form of art, revealing the subtle inventions woven into the fabric of everyday life.