Ten bits of trivia about the gutenberg bible, a book created by. The gutenberg bible was among the earliest major books printed using mass produced. Johannes gutenberg is often credited as the inventor of the printing press in 1454. Gutenbergs masterpiece, and the first book ever printed in europe from movable type, is the fortytwoline bible, completed no later than. This revolution entailed not simply a change in the world of literature but. Gutenberg publishes the worlds first printed book awesomestories. A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium such as paper or cloth, thereby transferring the ink. If you ve ever used a rubber stamp, its the same idea except using. In 1452, gutenberg produced the one book to come out of his shop. Its estimated he printed 180 copies of the 1,300paged gutenberg bible, as many as 60 of them on vellum. The oldest book printed with movable type is not the gutenberg.
Though the gutenberg bible was certainly the first mass produced printed work. Born as johann gensfleisch john gooseflesh, he preferred to be known as johann gutenberg john beautiful. Documents had been printed in ancient china from engraved. The chinese actually printed from movable type in 1040, but later discarding the method. The earliest dated printed book, known as the diamond sutra, was produced in. Johann gutenberg holds the distinction of being the inventor of the movabletype printing press. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in which the cloth, paper or other medium was brushed or rubbed repeatedly to achieve the transfer of ink, and accelerated the process. By 1450, the press was in operation, and a german poem had been printed, possibly the first item to be printed there. Gutenbergs bibles were surprisingly beautiful, as each leaf gutenberg printed was later colorfully handilluminated.
Chinese and korean inventors had been producing printed books for. Printed books existed nearly 600 years before gutenbergs bible. But neither printing nor movable type was actually invented by johannes gutenberg, nor did he print the first book. The first book that was printed and made available using this new. In 1450 gutenberg obtained backing from the financier, johann fust, whose impatience and other factors led to gutenbergs loss of his establishment to fust several years later. Johannes gutenberg invented the printing press around 1440 and the holy bible, popularly known as gutenberg bible or 42line bible, is widely acclaimed as the first major book mass printed in europe with the movable metal type printing press tha. If youve ever used a rubber stamp, its the same idea except using. Printed books existed nearly 600 years before gutenbergs. The first book printed on a printing press using movable type was the gutenburg bible printed by johannes gutenberg in germany in 1450. The gutenberg bible also known as the 42line bible, the mazarin bible or the b42 was among the earliest major books printed using massproduced movable metal type in europe. But every schoolchild can tell you the first book ever printed, and. Bought by james lenox in 1847, it was the first copy to be acquired by a united states citizen.
What is the first book ever written on a printing press. Gutenberg was able to convince the wealthy moneylender johann fust for a loan of 800 guilders. Books and other printed matter consequently became available to a wide general audience, greatly contributing to the. In 1455, gutenberg produced what is considered to be the first book ever printed.
Johannes gutenberg invented the printing press around 1440 and the holy bible, popularly known as gutenberg bible or 42line bible, is widely acclaimed as. Gutenberg bible the gutenberg bible was the first book printed on a printing press, but it was not the first book ever printed. It is a littleknown but undisputed historical fact that johannes gutenberg did not invent the printing press. Known today as the gutenberg bible, he printed between 150 and 180 copies that featured double columns of text and some of the letters in color. Most gutenberg bibles contained 1,286 pages bound in two volumes, yet almost no two are exactly alike. Though the gutenberg bible was certainly the first mass produced printed work, it was.
The gutenberg bible was among the earliest major books printed using massproduced. The jikji was first published in 77, some 75 years before johannes gutenberg began churning out his bibles in mainz, germany. The first gutenberg bible, printed in 1454 by johannes gutenberg. Of the 180 copies, some 5 were printed on paper, while the rest were made using vellum, a. The earliest mention of bi shengs printing press is in the book dream pool essays, written in 1086 by scientist shen kuo, who noted that. What was the first book to be printed by the printing press. Johannes gensfleisch zur laden zum gutenberg was a german goldsmith. The first thing to come out of gutenberg s print shop was the bible. He later started a second print shop, but its unlikely that he ever turned a profit off his most famous work. Peter schoffer, who became fusts soninlaw, also joined the enterprise.
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