PATTERNS IN ART: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE OLD MASTERS

A visual delight, and a designer's dream―the decorative details of great European paintings transformed into beautiful two-dimensional patterns

Richly embroidered robes. Intricate lace collars. Elaborately laid floor tiles. Delicately carved and modeled cornices and capitals. These are among the details of decorative art that the Old Masters lovingly rendered in their paintings, to establish a setting, convey a portrait subject’s social status, or sometimes just enliven a scene. Together, these details―so easy to overlook in the imposing harmony of draftsmanship, color, and composition that makes up a great painting―form a veritable history of ornament.

This inventive book plucks decorative motifs from the backgrounds of paintings by masters such as Bronzino, Fra Angelico, and Jacques-Louis David and transforms them into vibrant two-dimensional patterns. Seeing these patterns side by side with the original paintings deepens our appreciation of both. Patterns in Art will be a resource for graphic designers and a revelation for all art lovers.