Johann Gutenberg's Story

Let's talk typography. After spending two hours today walking around the streets and collecting typogaphy samples, my eyes are now starting to invent letters where there are none. Here is a sample of Blackletter type found up the street. Mmm, beautiful!


Now, who is Johann Gutenberg, and what does he have to do with my quest? Some would call Gutenberg the father of printing press, and I must agree. Gutenberg took typography to a whole new level. While there are speculations on whether he was in fact the first man to get the idea of printing press, aside from the Chinese, I say that it doesn't really matter if he invented printing press or got the idea elsewhere. The important thing is that he actually EXECUTED the idea, and brought printing to live.


Johann Gutenberg's early years are somewhat of a mystery. Born in Mainz around 1400, he was the youngest of 3 children. His father was a Companion of the Mint (coin makers), while his mother was a daughter of a storekeeper. Hence, from the young years Gutenberg's life had an element of duality in it. He was not fit to mingle among the Mint, and yet he was not able to inherit the store either, since he was the youngest child. Instead, he was sent away to study to become a Priest.

While Johann Gutenberg was a deeply religious man, he always had an interest in improving the space around him, and in making things by hand. It didn't make sense to him, when he was told that "God" is the only one who can introduce innovation, and that men should not fill their minds with such heretical thoughts. Gutenberg's ambition was to set the "word of God" into precise order and alignment. He observed numerous errors made by the scribes, and sought to correct these errors by setting the type in metal, and delivering the books "as God intended."


How did he do it? What was Johann's Gutenberg's path to becoming one of the greatest inventors of all time? What motivated him?

Some may prefer to hold an image a man completely dedicated to improving humanity, where as I am more keen on accepting the motivations of gold. Gutenberg wanted to automate the printing process so he could print (and SELL) hundreds of copies of The Book. The invention did not happen overnight either. It took him 20 years of trial-and-error to refine the process and the lead formula.

In the end, Gutenberg succeeded, an "Gutenberg Bible" is the hard evidence. And no, he did not get to enjoy the riches, since the printing business was taken away from him by his late sponsor Fust. If it's any consolation, Johann Gutenberg is now considered one of the greatest inventors and most significant men in the development of Human Kind.


References:
Man, J. 2002. The Gutenberg Revolution, Headline Book Publishing, London

Meltzer, M. 2004. Great Inventions: The Printing Press, Benchmark Books, Torrytown, NY

Morrison, B. 2000. The Justification Of Johann Gutenburg, Chatto & Windus, London