What Was the First Full Sized Book Gutenberg Printed?

Gutenberg's famous first full-size book, the Gutenberg Bible, was published in 1455–60. It was a Latin Vulgate edition of the Bible, translated by Saint Jerome in the 4th century. The Gutenberg Bible was decorated with 41 lines of text per page and illustrations on some of its pages. It was the first book printed with movable type, and it changed the way books were produced and distributed throughout Europe.

Gutenberg's printing press was a ground-breaking invention that revolutionized the way information was disseminated throughout the world. By creating a press that could mass-produce printed materials, Gutenberg opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the sharing of knowledge. So, how did this remarkable man come to develop his printing press?

Johannes Gutenberg was born in the German city of Mainz in around 1400. His father was a skilled goldsmith, and it is likely that Gutenberg learned the trade from him. He also became proficient in the art of metalworking, and this would later prove to be pivotal in the development of his printing press.

In 1437, Gutenberg left Mainz to join the army of the Duke of Bavaria. It is thought that he did this in order to escape indebtedness, as he had run up a large bill with a local manufacturer ofmetal type. While in the army, Gutenberg honed his skills as a craftsman, and it is during this time that he is thought to have developed his interest in printing.

Upon his return to Mainz in 1448, Gutenberg set up a workshop where he began experimenting with making metal type. He also started to develop a prototype of his printing press. His early experiments were not entirely successful, but he persevered and by 1450 he had created a working model of his press.

Gutenberg continued to work on perfecting his press, and it is estimated that he had spent around three years and 3000 guilders on the project by 1455. He then began looking for financial backers to help him commercialize his invention.

In 1455, Gutenberg entered into a partnership with a wealthy businessman named Johan Fust. This partnership proved to be push forward the development of the printing press, as Fust provided the financial backing that Gutenberg needed.

By 1456, the first movable type printing press had been built, and the first printed book, a Latin grammar book, was produced. This was followed by the publication of the 'Forty-two-Line Bible', which was Gutenberg's most ambitious project. The Bible took over two years to print and was a huge success.

Despite the success of his printing press, Gutenberg's business partnership with Fust turned sour, and the two men ended up in a legal dispute. Fust accused Gutenberg of misusing funds, and as a result, he took control of the

Gutenberg's choice to print a Bible was likely motivated by a combination of factors. First, as a Christian, he may have felt a strong personal connection to the scripture and a desire to share it with others. Second, the Bible was a relatively long and complex text, which would have posed a challenge to Gutenberg and given him a chance to showcase his printing abilities. Finally, the Bible was a highly coveted and valuable book at the time, and Gutenberg may have hoped to profit from its sale. Whatever his reasons, Gutenberg's decision to print a Bible was a major event in the history of printing and helped to spread the Christian faith throughout Europe.