16th-century Books: Details from the Setúbal Altarpiece, Jorge Afonso's workshop, 1520-1530 AD

The panels of the altarpiece show that, in early 16th-century Europe many books were still individually produced of parchment, hand-written and illuminated, sewn together with linen thread and bound between boards covered in leather or cloth. Fancy metal fasteners, or clasps, were used to hold the pages together and keep them flat.

All the details show book-clasps, usually riveted directly to the cover, but sometimes mounted on a leather strap. All the details show tooled leather covers, most show gilding of the edges of the pages, and one shows open pages with illuminations.