Leaf from Crown of Noble and Virtuous Women

The Venetian printmaker and book publisher Cesare Vecellio is best known for a book of over 500 woodcuts of ancient and modern costumes from 1590. The following year, he printed and produced this equally popular book of sewing and lace patterns. Literally a hands-on manual whose pages were often ripped out to produce decorative accents for women’s attire, it continued to be published in new editions as late as 1891. Intended for household use, the book was one of the hallmark innovations of the Renaissance, giving print media an economic application in fostering the amateur production of luxurious textiles.