La Gloria et l'Honore di Ponti Tagliati, E Ponti in Aere, page 4 (recto) 1556

This is page 4 from La Gloria et l'Honore di Ponti Tagliati, E Ponti in Aere, made by Matteo Pagano in Venice sometime in the 16th century. The print was made using woodcut, a relief printing technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed. The image shows a series of patterns, and it seems to function as a template or set of models for lacemakers, demonstrating popular motifs. Note the grid in the background. This would allow the designs to be easily transferred to fabric. The texture is not smooth but rather conveys the distinct impression of having been carved with a sharp tool. The very nature of the woodcut process gives the image a certain graphic punch. This aesthetic is very much in keeping with the emphasis on ingenuity and invention during the Renaissance, when distinctions between art, craft, and design were not so firm. It serves as a reminder of the rich interplay between creativity and commerce that has always animated the world of making.