La Vera Perfettione del Disegno di varie sorti di recami, page 26 (recto) 1567

This is a page from ‘La Vera Perfettione del Disegno,’ made by Giovanni Ostaus around the turn of the 17th century using the technique of woodcut. A relatively inexpensive method of image production, woodcut allowed for the wide circulation of designs. Here, we see two pastoral scenes, each rendered with a remarkable amount of detail. Notice how the parallel lines of Ostaus’s cuts create areas of light and shadow, defining the forms of trees, hills, and figures. The use of line is especially effective in conveying a sense of depth, from the foreground to the distant horizon. Of course, this wasn't meant as a work of art, but as a pattern for embroidery. In its original context, this page would have been a guide for skilled needleworkers, who would have translated Ostaus’s designs into fabric using silk, gold, and other luxury materials. The success of this print, therefore, depended on the highly skilled labor of others. It is a reminder that even the simplest of materials can be transformed into objects of great beauty and value through human creativity and craft.