Ein ney Furmbüchlein, Page 12, verso 1520 - 1530

This is page 12, verso, from "Ein ney Furmbüchlein," created by Johann Schönsperger the Younger around the early 16th century, made using woodcut. The design is structured into four horizontal registers. Notice how each band presents a unique pattern, yet they all share a common visual language. The top register features a series of triangles, alternating in their orientation and internal design. The second band displays a pattern of fantastical creatures and grotesque masks, all rendered in stark black and white. The lines are crisp, and the forms are highly stylized. These are all presented against a neutral ground which allows the forms to 'pop'. Schönsperger employs symmetry as a tool, creating a harmonious rhythm across the page. The repetition and variation of motifs, seen through a semiotic lens, reveal a fascination with structure and order. The work invites us to contemplate the play between form and function, challenging any fixed ideas about design and representation.