jan 1, 1455 - Gutenberg Printing Press

Description:

One of the most significant developments in the history of books was the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-1450s CE. Utilizing movable type and a mechanical press, Gutenberg’s invention created an explosion of book production, as the it allowed for the quick and comparatively inexpensive production of texts (Galbraith, 2020).

About this image: I took this photo in Syracuse University’s Special Collections Research Center on February 5th, 2025. The image is of a 1678 English translation of the works of Ambroise Paré, a French surgeon and physician. The book covers anatomy, surgical technique, pathology, and teratology, among (many) other things.

SOURCES
Galbraith, S. K. (2020). A Brief History of the Book: From Tablet to Tablet. Libraries Unlimited.

IMAGES
Taken by the author, A.E. Shuff in 2025.

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