Johannes Guttenberg 1813 - 1872

Andreas Flinch made this print of Johannes Guttenberg in Denmark sometime in the mid-19th century. Its content, the rendering of an important historical figure, speaks to the development of national culture and institutional memory. The print depicts Guttenberg, the inventor of modern printing, as a solemn figure holding a book. The image creates meaning through visual codes: his clothing references the medieval period and highlights his importance and status within society. The image can be understood in the context of 19th century Denmark, during which the country was forging a national identity, creating museums and using art to celebrate important figures from the past. The existence of museums and academies helped to provide a visual narrative of Danish history. Historical analysis can reveal Flinch’s cultural and institutional context and explore what Guttenberg, the printing press, and literacy, meant to the artist and his nation. Art’s meaning is always contingent on its social and institutional context.