A Brief History of Johannes Gutenberg

A Brief History of Johannes Gutenberg

Johann Gutenberg, also referred to online as Johannes Gutenberg, was a German inventor, publisher and engraver who still has much relevance today for his technological contributions.

Who was Johann Gutenberg?

Born in circa 1398 in Mainz, Germany, Johann Gutenberg is likely best known as the man who invented the printing press. He grew up learning about the goldsmithing trade from his father, with little else known about his childhood. In 1450, he created a new invention, which was the printing press.

Gutenberg’s Invention: The Printing Press

The new invention of the printing press was well received throughout Europe and spread quickly throughout the area. The press was popular as it significantly increased the speed at which pages could be printed.

Prior to Johann Gutenberg’s invention, wooden blocks were used to press ink onto paper. The new printing press used moveable type consisting of metal pieces put to paper that could churn out pages much faster than the previously used method. That meant that thousands of pages could print in a day on the Gutenberg presses, rather than only about 50 a day.

Significance of Johann Gutenberg’s Invention

The printing press inventor made books more accessible to people as pages could be printed at faster rates than ever before. As well, the type could be reused for future projects, so it was an economical type of technology that Johann Gutenberg created.

The move from printable type to movable type is universally attributable to inventor Johann Gutenberg. The first book to be printed from movable type was the Gutenberg Bible, a 42-line Bible; the book was first printed in 1455. It was a historic occasion as it was the first mass production of a Bible. The printing press made it possible for people outside of the Church to get a copy of the Bible. Today, the printing press inventor’s Bible would be worth around $30 million.