Essempio di recammi, page 24 (recto) 1530

This is a page from "Essempio di recammi," made by Giovanni Antonio Tagliente in Venice, sometime in the early 16th century. It’s a woodcut, meaning the design was carved in relief on a block of wood, then inked and printed on paper. The pattern shows different kinds of knots, and it’s fascinating to think about the process that would have been required to make it. First, a very careful drawing, and then the slow work of cutting away the wood. It’s a testament to the beauty of graphic line. But what was it for? “Recammi” means embroidery; this was a pattern book for needleworkers. The lines would have served as a guide for laying down thread. Think of the skill involved in that act of translation, taking a two-dimensional image and rendering it in three dimensions, with a completely different material. It really makes you appreciate the knowledge embedded in craft practices of the time.