Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 69 (recto)

Art Historical Context

Step into the opulent world of late 16th-century France with *Les Singuliers et Nouveaux Portraicts... page 69 (recto)*, a woodcut print from 1588. Created amid the reign of Henri III, King of France and Poland, and his queen Louise de Lorraine-Vaudemont, this page hails from a rare book of innovative designs by Jean Le Clerc, with contributions linked to pattern master Federico de Vinciolo. Published during a time of religious wars and royal splendor, it captures the era's fascination with elaborate ornamentation, blending portraiture with decorative motifs. The woodcut medium—precise and reproducible for books—showcases intricate vignettes featuring goddesses and overflowing cornucopias, symbols of abundance and divine bounty. These elements reflect Renaissance ideals of harmony and excess, influencing textiles, architecture, and fashion. Measuring just 8 1/16 x 6 5/16 inches, the page exemplifies how such prints democratized high-style patterns, allowing artisans across Europe to replicate courtly elegance. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Rogers Fund, 1918), this artifact highlights the artistic exchange between royalty and printmakers like Chambolle-Duru. It invites us to ponder how visual abundance mirrored Henri III's lavish court, a fleeting golden age before his tragic end in 1589.