Ein ney Furmbüchlein, Page 15, verso 1520 - 1530

This is page 15 from *Ein ney Furmbüchlein*, or "A New Model Book," printed in Germany around 1530 by Johann Schönsperger the Younger, using woodcut on paper. This book is essentially a catalogue of patterns. The woodcut process involves carving an image into a block of wood, inking the surface, and then pressing it onto paper. The lines you see here are the parts of the woodblock that remained after the surrounding material was cut away. You can almost feel the texture of the wood in the crisp, graphic quality of the print. These weren't just abstract exercises; they were functional designs. They would have been models for artisans producing everything from textiles to metalwork. Consider the labor involved: the meticulous carving of the woodblock, and then the skilled hands that would translate these patterns into other materials, each with its own set of challenges. This page reminds us that even in the age of mechanical reproduction, craft remains at the heart of design. The hand informs the machine, and the creative spirit finds expression in the humblest of materials.