Luigi De Bei was born in Venice in 1945, at the end of the war, and at the tender age of 10 he began work. For 25 years, Luigi worked in the bookshop called "Il Fontego "at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. "The Fontego" was a popular meeting place for the intellectual community of Venice and Luigi had the opportunity to meet various celebrities including Hugo Pratt, Luigi Nono, Vittorio, Franco Basaglia, and PM Pasinetti. It was in this bookshop that Luigi became a master bookseller. While working at “The Fontego”, Luigi collected art books and in 1980 started a bookshop of his own. Today the library "Fontego" is full of souvenirs. It has become a store for tourists. With his second wife, Marie-France, and their son, Emmanuel, Luigi moved his expanding bookshop to a larger venue in the countryside just north of Venice. Over time, and driven by his passion for books of art, Luigi has developed a great knowledge of art books, especially miniature, and this knowledge has become a valuable asset for Luigi’s customers. Luigi continues to devote himself to his passion for art books. The books are an integral part of his life.

Luigi De Bei's bookshop
The library is located between Venice and Treviso in a house surrounded by a beautiful garden lush with trees and roses. After 40 years, the poet-bookseller has collected more than 25000 books relating to all forms of art.

Luigi De Bei helps you find that rare, out of print, and difficult to find book.

Contact Luigi today.