Aimed at the international banking community, this volume traces the history of banking from its origins in medieval Europe to the development of international banking and today's computerized technology. It explores the introduction of merchant banking and shows the extraordinary expansion of banking activity in the 19th century. Illustrations, which depict the buildings and artefacts that surround the activity of banking, show the opulence of interiors, palaces built to celebrate wealth, and the great art collections created by banking figures.