One of the most important early Venetian printers, Aldus Manutius pioneered many innovations in printing technology. He was the first printer to completely break away from the manuscript tradition, the first printer to insist on scholarly editing, and the first printer to produce small books at a reasonable cost to reach a wider audience.

This octavo edition of Ovid's Metamorphases is no exception, and is an early example of the publishing style for which Aldus would become famous. Beginning with an edition of Virgil in 1501, Aldus introduced innovative italic typefaces with Roman capital letters. This same style can be seen in his 1502 edition of Ovid. His printer's mark of the anchor and dolphin became the hallmark for scholarly, attractive editions throughout Europe, and foreshadowed series such as Everyman's Library.