Paperblanks Parabole Midi Hardback Journal – Lined, 144 Pages

Capture your ideas, plans and memories in this Parabole midi hardback journal from Paperblanks, with 144 lined pages of 120 gsm acid-free paper.

In the 15th century Johannes Gutenberg invented printing from movable type, enabling the creation of his illustrated 42-line Gutenberg Bible. Our Parabole cover design reproduces an illuminated page by Gisela Maschmann, whose painting is modelled on “The Judgment of Solomon” in Gutenberg’s masterwork.

The Story Behind the Design

In the 15th century Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith, sought to replicate the beauty of hand-illuminated manuscripts through a mass manufacturing method. In the 1450s, he was able to achieve his goal by casting individual letters in large quantities so that they could be assembled and reassembled into printed text, a hugely important innovation known as the printing press.

With the printing press Gutenberg created “nova forma scribendi,” reproductions of works of great importance that were normally reserved for clergy and royalty. This led to the printing of his famous 42- line Bible. The Gutenberg Bible was a hybrid of mass production and artisanal touches – with the text printed in his newly invented movable type and the colourful chapter headings, initials and margins decorated by hand.

While only 49 copies of Gutenberg’s two-volume Latin Bible survive today, it continues to inspire artists and writers alike. Our Parabole cover design reproduces a hand-illuminated page by German artist Gisela Maschmann. She has modelled her miniature painting of the Judgement of Solomon on a volume of Gutenberg’s ecclesiastic masterwork housed in the Berlin State Library.

Thanks to Gutenberg’s invention in the 1450s, the face of printing was forever changed as it became possible to reproduce the work of scribes who for generations had to meticulously copy text by hand. From the first printing press in Mainz, Germany, the technology spread with remarkable speed and by 1470 there were 14 printing houses throughout Europe. This dissemination of art and culture to people throughout the continent was critical in moving Europe out of Medievalism and into the Renaissance. It is impossible to overstate the significance of Gutenberg’s printing press, as it is the key innovation allowing literacy to extend around the world.

• Original artwork: “The Judgment of Solomon” illuminated page by Gisela Maschmann
• Era: Contemporary (Gutenberg Bible original printed 1450–1500)
• Region: Mainz, Germany

Product Details

• Size: Midi – 130 × 180 × 22 mm
• Interior: Lined
• Pages: 144 (72 sheets)
• Paper: 120 gsm acid-free cream laid paper
• Cover: Hardback
• Closure: Wrap closure with hidden magnets
• Binding: Smyth sewn – lies flat and stays durable
• Corners: Square
• Pouch: Memento pouch
• Design: Parabole
• Series: Gutenberg Bible
• Satin ribbon marker
• 100% recycled binder boards
• Decorative printed cover paper
• Endpaper with credit and copyright information as well as historical background for the original artwork
• Threaded stitching and glue, as needed
• Acid-free paper
• Memento pouch
• Weight: 326 g
• Product code: PB5032-2 | ISBN: 9781439750322

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts. Every book is made to last, with binder boards crafted from 100% recycled materials, and the back endpaper tells the fascinating story behind the cover design and credits its creators.