Printing Press, 15th Century

Printing Press, 15th Century

The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440, based on existing screw presses. He developed a printing system, which perfected the printing process through all of its stages by adapting existing technologies to the printing purposes, as well as making groundbreaking inventions of his own. His newly devised hand mold made for the first time possible the precise and rapid creation of metal movable type in large quantities. The printing press spread within several decades to over 200 cities in a dozen European countries. By 1500, printing presses in operation throughout Western Europe had already produced more than 20 million volumes. In the 16th century, with presses spreading further afield, their output rose tenfold to an estimated 150 to 200 million copies. The arrival of mechanical movable type printing introduced the era of mass communication which permanently altered the structure of society.

JOHANNES GUTENBERG

Album / Science Source

Model: No - Property: No
Rights questions?

4800 x 2766 px | 38.0 MB

40.6 x 23.4 cm | 16.0 x 9.2 in (300 dpi)