Les Secondes Oeuvres, et Subtiles Inventions De Lingerie du Seigneur Federic de Vinciolo Venitien, page 15 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut comes from *Leses Oeuvres, et Subtiles Inventions De Lingerie*, a 1603 pattern book by the Venetian designer Federico deolo, printed in France by Jean Le Cler. Such volumes served as practical guides for creating lace and embroidery, reflecting the Renaissance fascination with ornamental design and the growing demand for detailed needlework patterns among noblewomen and artisans. The page’s religious imagery—featuring the Crucifixion with Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints—suggests these motifs were adapted for devotional textiles, blending spiritual themes with decorative craft. Vinciolo’s books were widely influential across Europe, helping standardize lace techniques during a period when such work symbolized status and piety. As a woodcut, the print allowed for clear, repeatable lines suited to pattern transfer, while its inclusion in the Metropolitan’s collection of ornament and architecture highlights the intersection of printmaking, fashion, and architectural motifs in early modern design. Dedicated in connection with Catherine de Bourbon, the volume underscores the role of royal patronage in promoting both artistic skill and religious expression through everyday objects.

About the Artist

Federico de Vinciolo|Jean Le Clerc|Catherine de Bourbon (Italian| |French) · 1582 | |1558 –1599 | |1604

Italian, active Paris, ca. 1587–99| |French, 1558–1604