Gutenberg's Metal Type Printing

[Traveler]
As you know, Gutenberg was the first person in the West to print books using metal types. The diverse objects before you were used by him in type printing. Some of them are similar to the printing facilities of Korea, as explained above. His type-printing involved pouring a molten alloy into molds and making types, and then arranging them in a wooden frame. This is similar to the method used in ancient Korea. However, the difference is that he developed a compressor capable of printing on both sides of paper and an ink mixed with oil varnish to ensure quick drying.

In 1452, 78 years after Jikji was printed in Korea, Gutenberg opened a printing house. He wanted the Bible - which at that time was available only to priests and aristocrats - to be read by a greater number of people. He thus developed metal types and printed 180 bibles in three years. One of them is the thick book you see before you. A few months of writing by hand would have been required to produce a book like this, but metal type printing shortened the period tremendously.

His typography revolutionized Europe. Printing houses were established across Europe, and 20 million copies of the Bible were printed in 50 years up to 1500. This number was far greater than the amount of books produced in the preceding 1,000 years. Typography also liberated knowledge that had been buried for one thousand years. Notably, commoners were able to read the Bible, which eventually developed into the driving force behind the religious reformation.

His typography did not stop here, but triggered a flood of information, influencing humanity's culture, religion, science and all other areas of knowledge. Which is why to this day, Gutenberg is even cited as the founder of the media industry.