Neu künstlich Modelbuch (page 24r) 1598

Curator: Immediately I think…meditative repetition. Editor: Indeed! What you’re seeing is a page from Bernhard Jobin’s "Neu künstlich Modelbuch," created in 1598. This particular page, 24r, resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, here in New York. It's a woodcut print, rendered with striking clarity, showcasing intricate designs. Curator: It’s the grid, isn't it? That foundation pushing at what's designed to transcend it. The upper register's flourishes seem to struggle against its matrix. There is something stifling, almost suffocating. Editor: Ah, the dialogue between constraint and expression! Consider this book’s purpose. These aren’t just designs; they’re models for lacemakers and embroiderers. Jobin’s book was a practical guide. Curator: Still, I find it powerful how the rigid structure informs the fluid patterns. Those organic shapes seem both liberated by and imprisoned within the geometric field. The bottom section is slightly calmer though, isn’t it? A simple, if relentlessly applied, repeating frieze of sorts. Editor: Definitely. Notice the contrast between the densely woven arabesques above and that simpler floral motif. You could easily apply the pattern on your dress trim. There is a lovely balance in this composition too, it has the rhythm and visual delight for artisans creating wearable art. I think these patterns spoke deeply to makers of the period. Curator: In a way, yes. The image encapsulates a microcosm of societal structures, the balance between freedom and restriction in artistic and everyday life. It is quite potent for something so... practical. Editor: And perhaps that very practicality is the art. It connects us to craftspeople of centuries past. Makes us mindful. It is very lovely in all its formal intention. Curator: I hadn't considered that angle precisely... but you might have altered my understanding here a bit. I see new possibilities now. Editor: Perfect, isn’t it? To shift your perspective just a little…