Venetian binding
A style of binding, obtained directly from the
Near East, probably in the 1480s, the boards of
which were composed of, or coated with, some form
of paper composition that permitted the corners
and centers to be stamped in sunken panels or
shaded compartments. The entire board was
generally covered with thinly pared leather, which
was then coated with a colored lacquer and painted
with arabesques in gold. This style of binding
often incorporated the lion of St. Mark painted on
the center panel, and was perhaps used as the
official binding of the Statutes and Commissions
of the Venetian Senate. (124 , 280 , 371 )
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