05/29/2026
Today, we had the privilege of visiting the Fondazione Fedrigoni Fabriano, situated in the historic Cartiere Miliani Fabriano paper-mill, where paper has been produced for the past eight centuries. This site is typically closed to the public, but we were granted a private tour of the archives and warehouse. Fabriano holds significant importance in the history of papermaking, notable for introducing three key innovations: the first use of animal glue sizing to preserve paper, the invention of the multiple hammer pulp be**er to expedite production, and the introduction of watermarks, the transparent images embedded in paper that become visible when held to light. We observed exquisite paper watermarks, learned about their production process, and viewed historic equipment from early hand papermaking to industrial machines for mass production. The students are currently engaged in sewing watermarks, making this visit a timely and valuable introduction. Sandro Tiberi Gilvana Maria
