Page from Ein new kunstlich Modelbuch...(Page 51r) 1544

This is a page from *Ein new kunstlich Modelbuch*, a woodcut book made by Peter Quentel around the 1500s. These model books provided patterns for artisans, reflecting a society deeply structured by guilds and craftsmanship. The patterns here are geometric, arranged in horizontal registers. There’s a tension here between the mass production enabled by printing and the individual skill required to execute these designs in textiles or other media. The book served as a bridge between these worlds. These patterns also tell a story of cultural exchange. The interlacing designs, with their roots in Islamic art, made their way into European visual culture through trade and travel. In a time when identity was so closely tied to craft and location, pattern books like this one facilitated a blending of styles, subtly challenging notions of cultural purity. Consider how even seemingly abstract designs carry stories of movement, adaptation, and the complex interplay of identity and influence.