Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 47 (recto)

Art Historical Context

This woodcut appears on page 47 (recto) of *Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts*, a celebrated 1588 pattern book designed by Federico de Vinciolo and published in Paris by Jean Le Clerc. Created during the reign of Henri III and dedicated to the king and his wife Louise de Lorraine-Vaudemont, the volume provided intricate ornamental designs for lace, embroidery, and textile work. Such printed manuals played a vital role in spreading fashionable motifs across Europe, allowing artisans and noble households alike to replicate the latest Renaissance styles. Rendered in the crisp, linear technique of woodcut, the page features an eagle motif linked to Jupiter—symbols of power and divine authority that would have resonated in the French court. The compact sheet, measuring just over 8 by 6 inches, exemplifies how small printed images could carry grand iconographic messages while serving practical decorative purposes. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, it offers a vivid glimpse into the intersection of royal patronage, print technology, and the ornamental arts in late sixteenth-century France.

About the Artist

Federico de Vinciolo|Jean Le Clerc|Henri III, King of France and Poland|Louise de Lorraine-Vaudemont|Chambolle-Duru (Italian| |French) · 1582 | |1558 –1599 | |1604

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