Schön newes Modelbuch (Page 41r) 1608

This is page 41 from Sigismundus Latomus’s Schön newes Modelbuch, or “Beautiful New Pattern Book.” It was made around the early 17th century, using woodcut printmaking on paper. Look closely, and you'll see that the design is made up of many small dots. These were achieved by carving away the negative space around each dot on a block of wood, leaving the design in relief. This intricate, repetitive labor would have been highly skilled. Once the block was prepared, many impressions could be printed. Pattern books like this were essential tools for artisans, particularly women embroiderers and lacemakers. They democratized design, allowing complex motifs to be circulated widely. But the printing process also raises questions about labor. While the designer conceived the pattern, the carver translated it into a reproducible form. Considering the book's materiality and production helps us appreciate the many hands involved in bringing such designs into the world.