Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Gutenberg Bible (named for the printer Johannes Gutenberg) is famous because it was one of the earliest publications produced (in the 1400's) with the use of a printing press (rather than through having to be slowly and meticulously copied by hand). This made the Bible available for reading by a much wider audience, rather than being limited only to priests who would then serve as the interpreters of Scripture for the common people.

After printed Bibles became available, public literacy also dramatically increased (due to people wanting to read the Bible for themselves), along with questioning of the church's interpretation and application of the Bible's teachings. This, coupled with the translation and publication of Bibles in languages other than Latin or Greek (such as German and English), greatly influenced the occurrence of the Protestant Reformation.

The printing press also allowed any other type of written information to be rapidly produced and disseminated, which affected all other areas of society.

May 04 2022 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What is the Gutenberg Bible, and why is it famous?

The Gutenberg Bible, printed in Mainz, Germany, around 1455 by Johannes Gutenberg, is the first major book produced in Europe using movable metal type. It is famous as the cornerstone of the printing revolution, replacing slow, hand-copied manuscripts with mass-produced texts, thereby increasing literacy and access to knowledge.

Some Reasons for Fame and Significance:

Technological Milestone: It proved the viability of mechanical printing, using a new metal alloy for type that allowed for rapid, high-quality production.

Transition Period: It bridged the Middle Ages and the modern world, initiating an "information revolution".

Rarity and Value: Of the roughly 158–180 copies originally produced, only 49 substantial copies survive today, making them among the most valuable books in the world.

Artistic Quality: Although printed, early copies often featured hand-drawn, illuminated initials and decorations to mimic the luxury of the era's manuscripts.

Cultural Impact: By making the Latin Vulgate Bible more widely available, it helped spread theological knowledge beyond the clergy, influencing the Protestant Reformation and modern scholarship. 

The Bible was produced in two volumes, mostly in 42-line columns, with a Latin text. While most were printed on paper, some, such as the famous copy in the Library of Congress, were printed on vellum.

Extreme Rarity and Value: Only 49 copies (or substantial portions) are known to survive today, with only about 21 of those being complete. They are among the most valuable books in the world; a single paper copy sold for $2.4 million in 1978, and they are now primarily held by major institutions like the Library of Congress, the British Library, and Harvard University. 

The original text of the Bible was written on perishable materials, such as leather and papyrus. To pass on the message, those writings had to be carefully copied and recopied by hand. Such copies were expensive, and few people could afford them. But with the invention of Gutenberg's printing press over 550 years ago, the circulation of the Bible greatly accelerated.

Conclusion:

Gutenberg's keen eye observed that certain items were being produced in large numbers, each identical to the other. Coins, for instance, were minted, and bullets were cast in metal. So why not print hundreds of identical pages of writing, then assemble them in numerical order into identical books? Which books? He thought of the Bible, a book so costly that only a privileged few could afford a personal copy. 

Gutenberg chose the Gothic script in Latin as the style for his book, which monks used in copying the Bible. Using his experience in metalwork, he carved an embossed mirror image of each letter and symbol on a small steel block, that is, a relief image on its surface. 

Printing could now begin. Gutenberg chose a passage of the Bible he wished to copy. With a setting stick in hand, he used type to spell words and form them into lines of text.

Each line was justified, that is, made to be of uniform length. Using a galley, he composed lines into a column of text, two columns to a page. 

This page of text was locked into position on the flat bed of a press and was then moistened with black ink. 

What makes the Gutenberg Bible unique? Professor Helmut Presser, former director of the Gutenberg Museum, suggests three reasons. First, the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed in the West with movable type. Second, it was the first Bible ever printed. Third, it is breathtakingly beautiful. Professor Presser writes that in the Gutenberg Bible, we see "Gothic writing at its absolute zenith."

April 07 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report