La Vera Perfettione del Disegno di varie sorti di recami, page 29 (verso) 1567

This is a page of ‘La Vera Perfettione del Disegno’ by Giovanni Ostaus, a book of embroidery patterns. The designs feature a bestiary of hybrid creatures and grotesque masks, symbols that reach back to antiquity. See how the masks echo the theatrical masks of ancient Greek drama, embodying powerful emotions and primal energies. These masks reappear throughout history, in Roman frescoes, Renaissance festivals, and even modern-day celebrations. The hybrid creatures, part animal, part human, part plant, evoke the monstrous figures found in the margins of medieval manuscripts, and the fantastic creatures of ancient mythology. These images tap into our deepest fears and desires, reminding us of the chaotic, irrational forces that lie beneath the surface of civilization. Such enduring symbols and iconography speak to the cyclical nature of human experience, resurfacing across cultures and epochs.