Gutenberg Sample

A facsimile sheet from Gutenberg’s Latin Bible (1455), the first major book printed in Europe from movable type cast in molds.

The excellence of this work shows how well the problems of printing had been solved. Artists filled in initial letters and decorations to imitate handwritten books.

The Gothic or black-letter handwriting style of the Roman alphabet was copied for the metal type. It had evolved from the Carolingian and was popular in Northern Europe.

In Germany, Gothic (Fraktur) continued as the common style until 1941. The Old English and other varieties still have certain uses today.