The use of hand-decorated paper in bookbinding

The use of hand-decorated paper in bookbinding arose, not because bookbinders wanted to add a decorative element to their works, but because they needed to correct a defect. Over time parts of the end-papers which came into direct contact with the cover materials, particularly with the leather turned-down edges, became yellow or absorbed part of the colour of the material with which they came into contact.
Towards the end of the sixteenth century, in order to hide this defect, some bookbinders started to use hand-decorated and coloured outside end-papers. But the marked contrast between the hand-decorated and coloured outside end-papers and the completely white inside end-papers soon led to the use of hand-decorated paper both for the outside and inside end-papers.