Ein new getruckt model Büchli...Page 8, recto 1529

This is a page from "Ein new getruckt model Büchli..." created by Johann Schönsperger the Younger around the early 16th century, presented as a woodcut on paper. The dominant visual experience is one of geometric precision and pattern, rendered in stark black and white. Two rectangular blocks display intricate, tessellated designs. The artist uses simple shapes—squares and short lines—to create complex, repeating motifs. These shapes interlock in a way that draws the eye across the surface and into the underlying structure. The composition, despite its decorative function as a pattern book, speaks to a deeper exploration of form. The structural repetition can be seen as an early engagement with the idea of modularity, echoing later concerns in modern design and architecture. Schönsperger destabilizes the traditional notion of unique artistic creation by emphasizing the replicable nature of the design. Each element contributes to an overall pattern, questioning fixed notions of originality. The interplay between positive and negative space, between the black ink and the white paper, creates a dynamic tension. This tension functions not just aesthetically but also as a cultural statement about the emerging possibilities of print and pattern.