Item Info
Media Type: Books
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:
After Gutenberg, Peter Schoeffer (b. 1425) was the most influential individual in the early history of printing in Europe. Educated at Erfurt University and trained as a calligrapher in Paris, Schoeffer became involved in the new art of printing by 1455. After the legal dissolution of a partnership between Gutenberg and Fust, Schoeffer and Fust joined forces. In 1466, Fust died of the plague and Schoeffer took over their printing concern.
The typeface used in this piece is not the heavy broken gothic of the Gutenberg bible but rather the lighter, rounder, more calligraphic, Rotunda. Rotunda has its origins in the Carolingian minuscule and was later revised in 13th century. Sometimes it is not considered a blackletter script, but a script on its own. This particular face does not have the classic lower case “d”, but most of the letters conform to Rotunda.
The large initial letter, nine lines in depth, is hand painted. It would appear that some of the red text is printed although quite poorly.
Before Schoeffer’s death in late 1502 or early 1503, he had done more than any other to introduce important publishing innovations and to set technical standards that would shape the history of the printed word.
Country: Country:Germany
City/Town/Township:Mainz
Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): 1475
Creator Name: Schöffer, Peter - Printer/Publisher