The bookbinder's job is a singular one: he can work without reading the book. He starts by dismantling, removing the glue, unstitching, trimming and cutting, before putting the book back together again.
The bookbinder is at the end of the book production chain, but is nevertheless an essential player.
First and foremost, the binding protects the book.
From the most modest to the most lavishly decorated, bookbinders kept pace with developments in the decorative arts, linking art and craft.