Embroidery Pattern with Seven Wreaths and Four Corner Pieces
Original title: Embroidery Pattern with Seven Wreaths and Four Corner Pieces
kurzbeschreibung
Albrecht Dürer produced this woodcut before 1521 as an ornamental pattern for embroidery. Seven circles and four corner motifs are arranged symmetrically across the upright sheet.
Description
A large dark circle dominates the center of the sheet. Within it lie seven smaller round fields: one in the middle, six around it in a hexagonal arrangement. This creates a rhythmic geometric structure. The lines run precisely and evenly, as is typical of Dürer's woodcut style.
Context
Dürer designed the sheet as a model for embroidery, likely for workshops or private patrons. It falls into a phase in which he was heavily engaged with ornamental and decorative designs that also found use in the applied arts. Such pattern sheets were widespread in the sixteenth century and served as guides for embroidery or weaving.
Impact
The clear symmetry and repetition of the circles give the pattern a calm, balanced presence. Dark contrasts and fine linework lend it a noble, graphic quality that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Technique
The printing ink sits on the sheet as sharp black lines and solid dark areas, giving the seven circular motifs and four corner pieces their clear ornamental structure. The paper, measuring 21 x 27 cm, shows the typical format of such utilitarian prints and has survived with its printed surface intact, so the geometric pattern remains fully legible.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)