Please describe the problem:
This was reported on Launchpad: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnumeric/+bug/163126
by: https://bugs.launchpad.net/~rich-home

When merged cells have a background color, printing moves the colored block up by the cells height. This is already visible in print preview.
Cells with a greater height have their background moved up higher: the color block is the same size as the merged cell it belongs with, but the color bottom end up at the cell top.

Steps to reproduce:
-Merge cells A1 and B1 (or A1 and A2)
-Change the merged cells background color
-Enter a value in the merged cell(to see the displacement)
-Open the print preview

Actual results:
-Notice how the colored block that should be the cell background is moved up by the cells height and placed on top of any content already there.
-Actual printing gives the same result as the print preview

Expected results:
The background should have the same place as when editing the spreadsheet.

Does this happen every time?
Yes.

Other information:
Confirmed with 1.7.11.