La Pratique de l'Aiguille, page 2 (verso) 1605

This is page two from ‘La Practique de L'Aiguille’, or ‘The Practice of the Needle’, printed in France in the 16th century. The book offers instructions and patterns for making lace. But this page has text, not patterns. What's the link? The poem praises the beauty of lace. More than that, it celebrates lace-making as a noble art. It suggests that its beauty is divine, made by gods. In this way the book elevates a craft, traditionally associated with women and domesticity, into the realm of high art. It encourages readers to see themselves as artists, not just craftspeople. The choice of printing is important. The printing press allowed the wider circulation of patterns, thus enabling more and more people to create luxury items for themselves. Here, the book challenges the traditional hierarchy of art and craft. To understand the social importance of this book, we could explore the history of women's work, the rise of the printing press, and the social status of different art forms in 16th century France.