Eyn new kunstlichboich, Titlepage (2 recto) 1529

Peter Quentel’s woodcut title page, printed in Cologne in 1530, presents a tightly organized tableau of text and image, bound by a robust frame. The composition, rendered in stark black lines against the off-white of the page, uses symmetry to convey a sense of order and craft. The print's structure embodies the Renaissance humanist interest in classical forms, yet it also acknowledges the emerging world of artisanal production. The frame, adorned with figures and emblems, encloses a block of text that promises instruction in the art of embroidery. Below, vignettes depict women engaged in textile work, underscoring the book’s practical function. The visual elements of the page—the lines of the text, the shapes of the figures, and the textures of the woodcut—create a semiotic interplay, where words and images combine to communicate knowledge and skill. This interplay reflects a cultural moment where art and craft were intertwined, and where the printed word served as a bridge between tradition and innovation.