Trionfo Di Virtu. Libro Novo..., page 28 (recto) 1563

This is page 28 from "Trionfo Di Virtu. Libro Novo...", created by Matteo Pagano in Venice, during the 16th century, using woodcut. The patterns shown here served as guides for creating lace and embroidery at a time when printed books made designs widely accessible. Imagine women across Europe, from noblewomen to those in convents or urban households, using this book to learn new skills. Needlework was not just a pastime, it was labor. For women, it represented both a creative outlet and a means of economic survival. Early pattern books helped standardize techniques and spread new styles, reflecting and shaping cultural values around femininity, skill, and domesticity. What stories are woven into these patterns? What did it mean for women to engage with and transform these designs? These aren’t just patterns; they’re a testament to the labor, creativity, and lived experiences of women in the Renaissance.