This Bavarian Wild Flower design reproduces a dazzling example of decorative paper, showcasing a range of techniques that were employed by master papermakers. For centuries leather and textiles had been the go-to decorative materials in all areas of life, but toward the end of the 17th century paper started receiving attention. Although most of the decorative paper was manufactured in the German cities of Bavaria, it was the Dutch merchants who ruled the currents of European trade and created what was known as "Dutch gilt" paper. One distinct feature of this type of paper is the splashes of colour which serve as backdrops to the refined patterns created using embossing and gilding techniques. Decorative paper was highly prized as a collector's item by those who could afford this hobby. Owing in part to the popularity of this kind of pastime, a wide variety of sheets of unused paper have survived to present day, including the one reproduced for this shimmering cover design.