Johann Gutenberg was born around 1400 in Mainz, Germany.¹⁾

He is best known for inventing the movable-type printing press around 1440, a significant development that revolutionized the spread of knowledge.²⁾

Gutenberg's most famous work is the Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line Bible, printed around 1455. It was the first major book printed using movable type in the West.³⁾

The Gutenberg Bible contained 1,282 pages and was printed in Latin. Only around 180 copies of it were made, and they are now highly valuable collector's items.⁴⁾

Gutenberg's press utilized individual metal letters that could be rearranged to compose different texts, allowing for efficient mass production of books.⁵⁾

Before his invention, books were laboriously handwritten, making them expensive and rare.⁶⁾

The development of the printing press marked the beginning of the “Gutenberg Revolution” and played a crucial role in the spread of Renaissance ideas and knowledge.⁷⁾

Despite his monumental invention, Gutenberg faced financial challenges and lost control of his press due to a legal dispute with his investor, Johannes Fust.⁸⁾

Gutenberg's technique involved creating metal molds for each individual letter, casting the letters from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, and then arranging them on a composing stick.⁹⁾

His printing press was instrumental in standardizing spelling and language usage, contributing to the development of modern languages.¹⁰⁾

After a period of obscurity, Gutenberg's contributions to printing were rediscovered and celebrated during the 19th century.¹¹⁾

Gutenberg's press allowed for a much faster production of books, reducing the time to produce a book from months to days.¹²⁾

His printing press technology quickly spread across Europe, leading to the establishment of numerous printing shops in various cities.¹³⁾

Gutenberg's work laid the foundation for the mass dissemination of information, enabling the growth of literacy and education.¹⁴⁾

He experimented with various printing techniques and materials, including woodcuts and metal engravings, to enhance the quality of printed images.¹⁵⁾