Il Monte. Opera Nova di Recami, page 7 (verso) 1557 - 1570

This is a page from "Il Monte. Opera Nova di Recami," made in Venice in the 16th or 17th century by Giovanni Antonio Bindoni, using woodcut printmaking. Here, the artist created delicate, symmetrical patterns for lacemakers. The lines are crisp and rhythmic, the result of carefully carving a design into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Note the contrast between the solid, dark lines and the empty, untouched paper surrounding them. This interplay is essential to the print’s visual appeal. The artist used specific tools and techniques to achieve this level of detail and precision. Woodcut is not as fine a process as metal engraving, and the beauty of these images lies in the relative simplicity of the printed line. These patterns were likely produced in multiples, efficiently distributing designs to a wide audience of artisans. The patterns speak to a world where craft and commerce were closely intertwined, and where skilled labor was both valued and carefully organized. Appreciating this context helps us see how so-called "fine art" was always connected to broader cultural and economic forces.