Paper and Books - Venice: A Travel Guide to Murano Glass, Carnival Masks, Gondolas, Lace, Paper and More - page 62

had made their way across East and Central Asia. While the practice of using marbleized
end papers was widespread in Germany and France by the seventeenth and eighteenth cen-
turies, most Venetian and other Italian bookbinders used surprisingly little colored decor-
ation, preferring plain, white end papers and focusing on the leather binding of the topic
itself. By the mid-eighteenth century, several prominent Venetian bookmakers incorporated
marbleized paper into their repertory of woodblock prints, copperplate engraving, leather
binding, and other book production services.
The production of Venetian books involved specialists of several stripes—masters of
leather, paper, engraving, printing, gilding, and other trades. Many famous Venetian paint-
ers, including Tiepolo and Canaletto, produced an enormous number of engravings and
etchings during the middle of the eighteenth century, many of which were destined for
bound books. Wealthy English travelers on the Grand Tour of Europe fueled demand for in-
dividual prints and books that contained prints by these well-regarded artists. These artists'
vedute —or views—of Venice served as precursors to modern-day postcards for these inter-
national visitors who wanted to take a piece of Venice home with them.