«Esercitare le stampe in honore et benefitio della Magnifica Comunità»: strategia di profitto o scelta obbligata?

In the first two centuries after the invention of printing, the opportunity to act as official printers was much sought after; but in small provincial Italian towns it did not always guarantee a satisfactory return. Printers nevertheless remained eager to print official mandates, partly because this was a prestigious role, but mostly because other more lucrative options were not always available. In such a context, the only way to establish a profitable business was to diversify production to meet market demands.