Fiore D'Ogni Virtu Per le Nobili Et Honeste Matrone, page 25 (recto)

Art Historical Context

**Fiore D'Ogni Virtu Per le Nobili Honeste Matrone, 25 (recto)** *Isabella Catanea Parasole Antonio Fachetti,1610* Woodcut, 7 7/8 x 10 1/4 in. (20 x 26 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1937 This delicate woodcut graces page 25 (recto) of Isabella Cataneaole's 1610 book, *Fiore D'Ogni Virtu Per le Nobili Et Hon Matrone*—"Flower of Every Virtue for and Honest Matrons." Created in collaboration with engraver Antonio Fachetti, it exemplifies early 17th-century Italian ornamental prints designed for embroidery, lace-making, and domestic crafts. Parasole, a pioneering female artist in Renaissance Italy, specialized in such books, blending artistry with moral instruction for elite women. Woodcuts like this were ideal for reproducing intricate motifs affordably, allowing patterns to spread across Europe and empower women in "virtuous" pursuits like needlework—seen as extensions of piety and household management. The ornament-focused design reflects the era's fascination with decorative symmetry, bridging architecture and fashion in a time when prints democratized elite tastes. Housed in the Met's Drawings and Prints department, this page invites us to appreciate how everyday crafts carried profound cultural weight, celebrating feminine ingenuity amid patriarchal norms. A charming window into 1610's world of virtue and vogue!

About the Artist

Isabella Catanea Parasole|Antonio Fachetti (Italian|Italian) · 1565 | –1625 |

Italian, ca. 1565/70–ca. 1625|