Ornamento delle belle & virtuose donne, page 14 (verso) 1554

This is a page from "Ornamento delle belle & virtuose donne," or "Ornament for Beautiful and Virtuous Women," made around 1550 by Matteo Pagano. It is a woodcut printed in ink on paper. The design is executed in a grid, with stark contrasts between the black ink and the white paper it sits upon. The design is divided into three horizontal bands, each featuring a complex geometric pattern, perfect for the needle and thread of any early modern maker. These patterns are not simply aesthetic exercises; they are templates for textiles, offering guidance for women to create intricate embroidery, lace, or other needlework. Manuals such as this one reveal the intricate relationship between design, production, and consumption in the 16th century. The very act of making these textiles was a form of labor, skill, and creative expression, often intertwined with social status and identity. So, next time you see a piece of historical embroidery, remember that it all started with a pattern, a piece of paper, and the skilled hands of a maker transforming ink into thread.