History of the book

In this short course, we explore how the design of the printed book came to be and how book layout has evolved since the fifteenth century.

To do so, we begin with the production of late medieval manuscripts. We then examine the invention of the hand press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-fifteenth century, a technology that remained in use until the nineteenth century.

We discuss how new production techniques, along with factors such as tradition and economics, continue to shape the appearance of books today. These insights are illustrated using manuscripts and prints from the historical collections of the Museum Plantin-Moretus. A printing demonstration with a wooden hand press and a guided tour of the museum make this history tangible and concrete.

With this historical background, designers today can take an informed stance on centuries-old traditions and practices, choosing whether or not to incorporate them into their daily work.