New Künstlichs Modelbuch (Page 35 recto) 1600

This is a page with ornamental patterns created in the late 16th century by Bernhard Jobin, made using woodcut. The page features horizontal bands filled with stylized floral motifs; look closely and you will see thistles, leaves, and berries, all rendered in a grid-like pattern. The thistle, with its prickly leaves and vibrant flower, has long been a symbol of resilience and protection, think of its prominent place in Scottish heraldry. Now consider how it appears here, neatly arranged within a symmetrical pattern, tamed, almost domesticated. The contrast is striking. From ancient Greece to the Renaissance, floral patterns have been used as ornamentation. These patterns evoked the natural world and have been associated with the continuous cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Here, the motifs are replicated in a regimented, organized manner, reflecting the era's burgeoning interest in order and design. Such symbols never truly disappear; they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings as they are carried through history, shifting and adapting with each new cultural context.