Last week, we looked at the transition from roll to codex in Europe. This week, we’ll consider the advent of the printing press. By the way, stay tuned for future coverage of book history outside of Europe. While my background gave me more expertise in the former, I look forward to expanding my knowledge alongside you. For now, enjoy five fun facts about early print culture in Europe.
1. We are not sure exactly who invented the printing press, or when.
You may have had the 15th-century editions of the Gutenberg Bible in mind as the earliest recorded print editions. The truth is, there is evidence for printing with moveable type going back to the 14th century in Korea.
2. There were some forms of printing available even before the printing press.
Woodblock printing, which originated in China, and soon spread throughout Asia and into Europe, is a great example. In this process, a carved wooden block receives a coating of ink, which is then applied to the page. However, this was much better for images or title pages without much text. The process of creating these blocks was incredibly time consuming. Still, it was faster than asking an artist to reproduce the same image across multiple texts. It could also work for a more limited run of something short, like a pamphlet.
3. Some handiwork still went into many early printed editions.
While the printing process effectively placed the required content onto the page, some consumers were used to a level of luxury in their books that moveable type could not provide. Think rubrication (the application of red ink for emphasis in certain areas), illumination (the use of gold leaf or shell gold to add light to the page) and general illustration, as seen in many decorated capitals. Printers would regularly leave room for these elements on the page. So, if you see a printed edition that is missing the first letter on each page with a large space, it’s a good sign that the owner never got around to, or could not afford, to have someone fill in these elements.
4. Prior to the invention of the printing press, students had to write out their own copies of required texts.
Unlike modern students, who purchase their printed texts from the school bookstore (often at great cost), medieval students would “check out” an approved copy of each required text from the local stationer. They usually did so piece by piece, with each section being called a “pecia.” Then, they actually created their own copy of the text. Some students with more room in their budget might then take their copy to the binder, either to become a hardcover (more expensive) or softcover (often leather). All in all, it was a time-consuming process, and one that sometimes allowed errors to creep in.
5. Print culture allowed ideas to be disseminated much more rapidly.
Say you have a political message to deliver. You could certainly hand-write as many fliers as your cramping hands will allow you, like the medieval students with their textbooks. But if you could write out just one copy, and then hire a printer to reproduce copies at a reasonable rate, imagine the difference in impact. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses are a prime example. So too are the political cartoons of revolutionary France, both of which you can find in the chapter linked above (pp. 160-164).
Do you have questions about the early history of books and manuscripts? Add a comment below to influence future posts on these topics!
