Type and Typography

The 42-Line Bible

Bringing all the elements together, Gutenberg began working on the first typographic book, a two-volume, folio-sized (11.75 × 15 inches) Latin Bible. The pages were printed in two columns; the first nine pages had 40 lines per column, the 10th page had 41, and the remaining 1,270-plus pages had 42 lines per column. He may have used this layout for the manuscript, or he may have started a 40-line Bible and increased the number of lines per column to save time and paper. Forty-eight copies of this landmark publication, out of an estimated press run of about 200, are known still to exist (one is always on display at the Library of Congress, for example). Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible remains a magnificent example of the printer’s art.

Development of the printing process and printing the 42-line Bible was expensive. Over a period of years, Gutenberg borrowed a considerable sum from wealthy Mainz merchant Johann Fust, putting his printing equipment up as collateral. In 1455, just as the Bible printing neared completion, Fust foreclosed on Gutenberg for nonpayment and seized possession of the equipment and all work in progress. Fust then hired Gutenberg’s chief assistant, Peter Schoeffer, to finish production. It is unknown whether Gutenberg had any further hand in completing the project or reaped any financial benefits from his work. But his invention quickly spread throughout Europe. It is estimated that by 1500, there were already more than 1,000 printers operating out of some 200 locations in Europe. The basic printing process remained little changed for the next 400 years. Typography, on the other hand, began to change almost immediately. Gutenberg’s heavy Textura typeface was quickly eclipsed by more graceful, easier-to-read letterforms.

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