the culture of print, part 1

The Culture of Print, Part 1The Culture of Print, Part 1

Presentation by Mindy McAdamsPresentation by Mindy McAdamsWeek 7.1 / MMC 2265Week 7.1 / MMC 2265

Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990

Studied at the City College of New York Studied at the City College of New York and the New School for Social Research and the New School for Social Research (never finished his degree)(never finished his degree)Magazine work:Magazine work:– 1920s: Associate editor of 1920s: Associate editor of The Dial,The Dial, an an

influential literary journalinfluential literary journal– Wrote architectural criticism, as well as Wrote architectural criticism, as well as

commentary on urban issues, at commentary on urban issues, at The New The New YorkerYorker for more than 30 years for more than 30 years

Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990

"He preferred to call himself "He preferred to call himself a writer, not a a writer, not a scholar,scholar, architectural critic, historian or architectural critic, historian or philosopher" (Eugene Halton, biographer)philosopher" (Eugene Halton, biographer)Received the Presidential Medal of Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) Freedom (1964) andand the National Medal of the National Medal of the Arts (1986) the Arts (1986) Famous Famous booksbooks include: include:– Technics and CivilizationTechnics and Civilization (1934) (1934)– The City in HistoryThe City in History (1961) – won the National (1961) – won the National

Book AwardBook Award

Early Books in EuropeEarly Books in Europe

MonksMonks copying books: About 500 C.E. copying books: About 500 C.E. through 1500 C.E.through 1500 C.E.Starting about the 1100s, Starting about the 1100s, universitiesuniversities paid scribes (who were paid scribes (who were notnot monks) to copy monks) to copy books; stationer shops prosperedbooks; stationer shops prosperedGutenbergGutenberg finished printing his Bible (on a finished printing his Bible (on a press) in press) in 1455/56 C.E.1455/56 C.E.Estimated Estimated 8 million8 million books printed books printed by 1500by 1500

A Gutenberg BibleA Gutenberg Bible

Movable TypeMovable Type

The Chinese used a The Chinese used a system of “movable system of “movable characters” about characters” about 1045 C.E. — 1045 C.E. — 400 years 400 years beforebefore GutenbergGutenberg

Chinese used woodblocks and, later, Chinese used woodblocks and, later, blocks of fired clay to print Chinese blocks of fired clay to print Chinese characters onto cloth and, later, papercharacters onto cloth and, later, paper


Chinese invented Chinese invented paper about 100 paper about 100 C.E. (or maybe C.E. (or maybe earlier)earlier)Complexity of Complexity of Chinese writing Chinese writing systemsystem limited limited printing production printing production to to shortershorter texts texts


Did Gutenberg Did Gutenberg knowknow about Chinese about Chinese movable type?movable type?The Travels of Marco Polo,The Travels of Marco Polo, “published” in “published” in 12991299– Described China, the Mongol empire, India Described China, the Mongol empire, India

and Africa and Africa – Marco Polo, an Italian, had spent Marco Polo, an Italian, had spent 24 years24 years in in

the Eastthe East– One of the One of the most popular booksmost popular books in medieval in medieval

Europe — hundreds of copiesEurope — hundreds of copies

Hand-lettered, illustrated text of The Travels of Marco Polo, c. 1300

GutenbergGutenberg

Johann Gutenberg, born about 1400 C.E. Johann Gutenberg, born about 1400 C.E. in Mainz, Germanyin Mainz, GermanyHis family was upper-class, so he was His family was upper-class, so he was most likely educated in Latinmost likely educated in LatinEvidence shows he was a goldsmith and Evidence shows he was a goldsmith and worked also with other metalsworked also with other metalsHe started experiments with metal type He started experiments with metal type and a letterpress in the 1440sand a letterpress in the 1440s

Role of PaperRole of PaperHow to manufacture paper: Arabs first How to manufacture paper: Arabs first brought that knowledge to Spain in the late brought that knowledge to Spain in the late 1100s1100sFirst paper mill in Germany was founded First paper mill in Germany was founded in 1390 — in 1390 — barely 50 years beforebarely 50 years before Gutenberg’s movable typeGutenberg’s movable typeBefore paper was available, European Before paper was available, European books were copied onto books were copied onto parchmentparchment (sheepskin) or (sheepskin) or vellumvellum (calfskin) (calfskin)Gutenberg used paper imported from ItalyGutenberg used paper imported from Italy

Gutenberg’s BiblesGutenberg’s Bibles

Each copy: Almost 1,300 pagesEach copy: Almost 1,300 pagesSize: About 16 inches by 12 inchesSize: About 16 inches by 12 inchesMost Gutenberg Bibles were bound in two Most Gutenberg Bibles were bound in two volumes (they are volumes (they are bigbig))Typical binding: Leather over wooden boardsTypical binding: Leather over wooden boardsThe U.S. Library of Congress’ Gutenberg Bible The U.S. Library of Congress’ Gutenberg Bible is one of three perfect examples printed on is one of three perfect examples printed on vellumvellum that have survived that have survived48 relatively complete copies of the Gutenberg 48 relatively complete copies of the Gutenberg Bible survived into the 20th centuryBible survived into the 20th century

Source: Octavo.com

Gutenberg’s InventionGutenberg’s Invention

Developed a process to Developed a process to castcast the individual the individual letters with letters with metal alloymetal alloy and precisely adjust the and precisely adjust the moldmold to guarantee uniformity (size and shape) to guarantee uniformity (size and shape) of the metal typeof the metal typeDivided text into the Divided text into the smallestsmallest components: The components: The 26 letters of the Latin alphabet26 letters of the Latin alphabet

Metal Type

Type Case (or Job Case)

Gutenberg’s Gutenberg’s ProcessProcess

Used Used screw pressesscrew presses to press the ink-to press the ink-covered metal type covered metal type against the paperagainst the paperPress was made of Press was made of woodwood until about 1800 until about 1800After 1800, the hand-After 1800, the hand-operated press was operated press was made of made of ironiron

Spread of Printing TechnologySpread of Printing Technology

The result: A large The result: A large number of number of exact copiesexact copies of a single book could of a single book could be produced in a be produced in a short short amount of timeamount of timePrinting process spread Printing process spread rapidly through Europerapidly through Europe1470s:1470s: First printed First printed book in book in EnglishEnglish

Mass Production (1)Mass Production (1)

Eli Whitney, born in 1765, Massachusetts Eli Whitney, born in 1765, Massachusetts Patented the Patented the cotton gincotton gin in 1794 in 1794Many historians mark Many historians mark thisthis as the as the startstart of of mass production in the worldmass production in the worldHoweverHowever … … Gutenberg’s pressGutenberg’s press made made possible the possible the mass productionmass production of hundreds of hundreds (even thousands) of (even thousands) of identical booksidentical books

Mass Production (2)Mass Production (2)

One edition of a book in the early years of One edition of a book in the early years of printing: printing: 200 to 1,000 copies200 to 1,000 copies Any copy might be Any copy might be transportedtransported farfar from from the place where it was first printedthe place where it was first printedAnother printer might set up a new edition Another printer might set up a new edition of that same book and print of that same book and print many moremany more copiescopiesCompetition among printers: Led to Competition among printers: Led to copyright lawscopyright laws (1662, England) (1662, England)

TimelineTimeline

1452 – Leonardo da 1452 – Leonardo da Vinci bornVinci born1453 – Constantinople 1453 – Constantinople falls to Muslim falls to Muslim conquerors; Greek conquerors; Greek scholars flee to Italy scholars flee to Italy 1456 – Gutenberg’s 1456 – Gutenberg’s first printed Biblesfirst printed Bibles 1474 – Michelangelo 1474 – Michelangelo bornborn

1492 – Columbus lands 1492 – Columbus lands on American shoreon American shore1498 – Vasco da Gama 1498 – Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape sails around the Cape of Good Hope; reaches of Good Hope; reaches IndiaIndia1517 – The Protestant 1517 – The Protestant Reformation beginsReformation begins

The Culture of Print , Part 1The Culture of Print , Part 1

Presentation by Mindy McAdamsPresentation by Mindy McAdamsUniversity of FloridaUniversity of Florida