Theinvention of the printing press was a revolution that changed access to knowledge and literature in Europe. It was the German Johann Gutenberg who perfected this reproduction technique in the 15th century and presented the first major European topographical print, the Bible, in 1455. The François-Mitterand Library wishes to retrace the history of printing with this exhibition, which will last until July 16, 2023, using exceptional pieces that have marked their time.
Come and discover the oldest known Western woodcut, the Bois Protat, the oldest preserved work in the world printed with metal lettering, the Jikji (Korea, 1377), and the first great European typographic print: the Gutenberg Bible (Germany, around 1455), which are exhibited together for the first time. The exhibition also proposes a return in time, since before Gutenberg, many others had already begun to write the history of printing throughout the world.
In China and Korea, xylography was practiced as early as the 8th century. In Europe, techniques were already available to reproduce an image as early as 1400, with a matrix engraved on wood, then on copper. Many craftsmen took part in this historical discovery of German, especially those using metal, in Strasbourg, who sought to make it possible to widely distribute the written word. A team effort, too often overlooked, which allowed a real intellectual flourishing in the following centuries.
Dates and Opening Time
From April 12, 2023 to July 16, 2023
Location
BnF - Site François Mitterrand
Quai François Mauriac
75013 Paris 13
Prices
Tarif réduit: €8
Tarif plein: €10
Official website
www.bnf.fr
