Inventor de la imprenta johannes gutenberg biography

German inventor and craftsman (c. 1393–1406 – 1468)

"Gutenberg" redirects here. For the Bible, see Gutenberg Bible. For other uses, see Gutenberg (disambiguation).

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg (c. 1393–1406 – 3 February 1468) was a German inventor and craftsman who invented the movable-typeprinting press. Though movable type was already in use in East Asia, Gutenberg's invention of the printing press enabled a much faster rate of printing. The printing press later spread across the world, and led to an information revolution and the unprecedented mass-spread of literature throughout Europe. It had a profound impact on the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, and humanist movements.

His many contributions to printing include the invention of a process for mass-producing movable type; the use of oil-based ink for printing books; adjustable molds; mechanical movable type; and the invention of a wooden printing press similar to the agricultural screw presses of the period. Gutenberg's method for making type is traditionally considered to have included a type metalalloy and a hand mould for casting type. The alloy was a mixture of lead, tin, and antimony that melted at a relatively low temperature for faster and more economical casting, cast well, and created a durable type. His major work, the Gutenberg Bible, was the first printed version of the Bible and has been acclaimed for its high aesthetic and technical quality.

Gutenberg is often cited as among the most influential figures in human history and has been commemorated around the world. To celebrate the 500th anniversary of his birth, the Gutenberg Museum was founded in his hometown of Mainz in 1900. In 1997, Time Life picked Gutenberg's invention as the most important of the second millennium.

Life and career

Early life

Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz (in modern-day Germany)

As everyone knows, Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press. Like much of what everyone knows, it’s not quite true. But no one else in the history of printing had nearly his influence. As Mark Twain expressed it,

The world concedes without hesitation or dispute that Gutenberg’s invention is incomparably the mightiest event that has ever happened in profane history. It created a new and wonderful earth, and along with it a new hell. It has added new details, new developments and new marvels to both in every year during five centuries. . .

Whatever the world is, today, good and bad together, that is what Gutenberg’s invention has made it: for from that source it has all come. But he has our homage; for what he said to the reproaching angel in his dream has come true, and the evil wrought through his mighty invention is immeasurably outbalanced by the good it has brought to the race of men.

Gutenberg wasn’t the first to use movable type or metal type, but he couldn’t have known about earlier uses. And he was apparently the first to see the possibilities of a wine press for printing. Most important, he was the first to see printing words on paper as a business.

The earliest developments in printing

Nearly all of the elements of modern printing started in Asia. They had no effect on society outside the nobility. Gutenberg surely knew nothing about them when he invented his printing press. And his changed the world.

The history of printing dates back to the fourth millennium BC, when the ancient Mesopotamians began to impress images on clay tablets. Credit goes to the Chinese for

If you type “Printing Press” into Google, the first picture that comes up is of this very press. Johannes Gutenberg is known as the “Father of Printing” because he was the first to combine the use of molded movable metal type, a press, and printer’s ink.  

Unfortunately, Gutenberg’s actual press, the very first printing press, has been lost to history. We know very little about the specifics of Gutenberg’s inventions and even less about the physical details of his original press. The earliest surviving press is from the mid-16th century and the earliest illustration of a press is the work “La Grant Danse Macabre,” which was made in 1499, nearly 50 years after Gutenberg invented the press. The scarce knowledge we have about Gutenberg is from contemporary court documents. In these records, his press is described as “a faster writing machine.” One assumption is that Gutenberg adapted the technology of a wine or olive oil press when he was designing his printing press. The technology of applying pressure with a screw and lever combination already existed, so it makes sense that he would borrow the idea for his own invention.

Our Gutenberg Press is a replica that was created specifically for the Museum in the 1990s. Its design is based on woodcuts from the 15th and 16th Century, such as the “Danse Macabre.” It is also very similar to a press that can be found at The Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany. Museum Founder Ernie Lindner tediously, and somewhat secretly, took down the measurements of the press in Mainz during a visit in the 1960’s. From that information, drawings were made with the hope of someday constructing the press and adding it to the Lindner Collection of Antique Printing Machinery. In 1999 Ernie commissioned Steve Pratt of Pratt Press Works in Cove Fort, Utah to make the press. Ernie worked closely with Steve regarding design and measurement to make the most accurate version of the press as possible.

When Was the Printing Press Invented?

No one knows when the first printing press was invented or who invented it, but the oldest known printed text originated in China during the first millennium A.D.

The Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist book from Dunhuang, China from around 868 A.D. during the Tang Dynasty, is said to be the oldest known printed book.

The Diamond Sutra was created with a method known as block printing, which utilized panels of hand-carved wood blocks in reverse.

Some other texts have survived from Dunhuang as well, including a printed calendar from around A.D. 877, mathematic charts, a vocabulary guide, etiquette instruction, funeral and wedding guides, children’s educational material, dictionaries and almanacs.

It was during this period of early printing that rolled-up scrolls began to be replaced by book-formatted texts. Woodblock printing was also used in Japan and Korea at the time, and metal block printing was also developed at some point during that period, typically for Buddhist and Taoist texts.

Bi Sheng

Moveable type, which replaced panels of printing blocks with moveable individual characters that could be reused, was developed by Bi Sheng, from Yingshan, Hubei, China, who lived roughly from 970 to 1051 A.D.

The first moveable type was carved into clay and baked into hard blocks that were then arranged onto an iron frame that was pressed against an iron plate.

The earliest mention of Bi Sheng’s printing press is in the book Dream Pool Essays, written in 1086 by scientist Shen Kuo, who noted that his nephews came into possession of Bi Sheng’s typefaces after his death.

Shen Kuo explained that Bi Sheng did not use wood because the texture is inconsistent and absorbs moisture too easily, and also presents a problem of sticking in the ink. The baked clay cleaned-up better for reuse.

By the time of the Southern Song Dynasty, which ruled from 1127 to 1279 A.D., books had become p