After Class 2/16

1. Name of graphic style (or topic) studied this session:
In class 2/16, we studied Gutenberg’s influence on typography and how it affected societies; broadsides; Albrecht Durer; Martin Luther; Venice and the Renaissance there; Nicolas Jenson; Ratdolt, Manutius and Tory—all Renaissance men of their times.

2. Describe specific qualities of this style (or if it’s a topic-highlights of that topic) that will help you identify it in the future.
Typography affected society by reducing the costs of text which led to widespread literacy (even in less fortunate people); spreading ideas and sciences; stabilizing languages; individualism; and more. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses were proliferated around Europe thanks to Gutenberg’s advances of printing, which led to the Reformation of Christian faith. On a smaller scale, broadsides, which were single-leaf pages printed on one side, evolved into posters, advertisements and newspapers. Albrecht Durer, who was the master behind “The Apocalypse” perfected Roman capitals with his use of geometry and also brought the Italian Renaissance to Germany after studying there. Ratdolt was a Renaissance man who got out scientific ideas, such as the solar/lunar eclipse, into print. He also had the first complete title page, the first type specimen sheet, and the first dye-cut in a published book. Manutius was also a Renaissance man who started the printing of pocket books; helped develop italics, printed the works of many great thinkers; and had the first logo. Finally, Geoffrey Tory, the greatest Renaissance man of all, was proficient in twelve different areas of study; he greatly influenced the French alphabet and grammar with the introduction of the cedilla, apostrophe and accent. His three-volume work, Champ Fleury, influenced his whole generation of print makers.

3. What is the most useful or meaningful thing you learned today?
I liked looking at the progression of the “Renaissance Man” especially in Italy. The men who worked in earlier times seem now not to have discovered anything so profound compared to the men who succeeded them, but without those first accomplishments, their followers may never have reached the conclusions that they did. Even the smallest achievements back then were and still are a great impact on humanity.

Question: When the Renaissance time period was reached, were books and printed materials still used mainly for religious/scientific purposes, or were they being used yet for other areas or even for entertainment?