print, typography
medieval
book
typography
Dimensions 15 5/16 x 11 3/16 in. (38.89 x 28.42 cm) (sheet)
This is a leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, made around 1455 in Mainz, Germany, with movable type and ink on paper. As one of the earliest mass-produced books, the Gutenberg Bible represents a pivotal moment in the history of knowledge and communication. The development of printing with movable type had a profound impact on European society, facilitating the wider dissemination of ideas and information. The very design of this page, with its neat columns of text and decorative initials, reflects the merging of traditional manuscript production with the new possibilities of mechanical reproduction. Although the text itself is religious, the Bible was also a commercial product, commissioned by the Church. Understanding the Gutenberg Bible requires archival research, close examination of printing techniques, and a deep awareness of the historical context in which it was produced. Its social, cultural, and institutional significance continues to resonate today.
Comments
The Gutenberg Bible was the Big Bang of publishing. Gutenberg conclusively demonstrated that a book printed from movable type could rival the beauty and surpass in accuracy texts copied by hand. His father was involved with the minting of coins; so, Johannes grew up with knowledge of die cutting, punches, metals, and presses. Taking the idea of reproducing images in metal and reconfiguring it to make impressions on paper, he triggered the great information revolution that led to the transformation of religion, science, and government. His idea also rapidly displaced manuscripts as the main vehicles of knowledge. This leaf comes from the Book of Sirach (21:15 to 23:24), a compendium of wisdom expressed in maxims. A part of the Septuagint, it is esteemed by most Jews and is accepted as part of the biblical canon by Catholics and most orthodox churches but not by most Protestant denominations.
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