PRINT CULTURE & MODERN WORLD

Topic 1: First Printed Books

●​ Early kind of printing emerged in Japan, Korea, China
●​ China- 594 AD discovered woodblock printing (hand printing)
●​ Woodblock printing- rubbing paper across inked surfaces of woodblock
●​ Paper was thin and porous- accordion books printed and stitched at sides
●​ China was an imperial state possessing huge bureaucratic system
●​ Text materials printed in vast number for civil service examination
●​ Vast no of printed material available for students at cheap rate.
●​ As urban culture bloomed, merchants started using print for collecting trade info.
●​ Reading became a leisure activity, people started writing prose, poems, novels,
autobiographies. Wives of rich scholars wrote autobiographies and courtesians
wrote about their lives.
●​ By 19th century, western powers established dominance- western printing
techniques and printing press introduced (shift from hand to mechanical printing)
●​ Shanghai became the hub of new print culture

Print comes to Japan

●​ Buddhist missionaries from China introduced print to Japan
●​ Diamond sutra (868 ad) first printed japanese book
●​ Pictures were printed on textiles, playing cards and money
●​ Prose and poetry were commonly published
●​ Books were cheap and abundance
●​ Visual printing led to an interesting printing era.
●​ Edo in Tokyo was known for painting depicting daily life of artisans, courteans,
tea ceremony etc
●​ Books were widely available in libraries and bookstores ranging from tea
ceremony, women, cooking, proper etticutes etc.
●​ Kitagama Utamaro- Ukiyo- pictures of floating world or extraordinary human
experiences

Print In Korea
Woodblocks of Tripitaka Koreana )Korean sculpture of Buddhist scriptures
Inscribes In UNESCO Memory Register in 2007

Print comes to Europe

●​ 11th century- chinese paper reached Europe via the same silk route from China.
 ●​ People started making manuscripts using chinese paper
●​ Marco Polo introduced woodblock printing from China to Italy. And soon it was
spread to all parts of Europe. People began using it
●​ However manuscripts were written on expensive vellum for rich aristocrats
●​ Students and merchants used cheap copies of Print
●​ Demand for books increased, people began exporting books to all Europe
●​ Bookfairs were conducted in alot of places
●​ Demand was so high, 50 scribes worked for one bookseller.
●​ Manuscripts were fragile, not carryable, not easily read, expensive, time
consuming, laborious
●​ Therefore, woodblock printing became more popular and common. Used for
textiles, playing cards etc

Gutenberg and printing press (1430)

Woodblock printing was not that effective, as the paper was porous, the process
was slow and time consuming. These created a need for a printing press

Gutenberg’s printing press model was inspired by olive press model. The platen was
made out of steel and had mould of cursive letters like of manuscripts.

The printing press material clearly resembled the handwriting like that of manuscripts as
the letters engraved in platen imitated the cursive letters.

Borders were illuminated by hand by using foliage and designs. Illustrations were painted
by hand. In prints customized for rich, space was left for designs, they got to chose the
type of design and the art school that paint the chosen design.

Printing presses were set up all across Europe.

Printers from Germany travelled across the world and set up new presses all across euro
Fast process, book production increased
20 million books flooded the market in half 15 century
With cheap availability of books, it led to print revolution.

Print Revolution and Its Impact

Print changed the relationship of people with information and knowledge along with
institution and authorities.
A new reading public
Earlier, reading was restricted to elites. Illitrates used to listen to popular ballads and
folktales being recited, and knowledge was transformed orally.
People who couldn’t read, used to watch performances or even hear stories.

Now with existence of print technology, print materials could be printed in vast amount,
at a faster rate, making book widely available and cheap. This created a new reading
public as people had more access to books.

However, despite books available at cheap rates, the literacy rate was low. Therefore only
literates could enjoy reading. To increase profit in business, booksellers added popular
ballads and folk tales along with illustration to ensure even the illitrates could enjoy.
These removed the line between reading public and hearing public, and those became
intermingled.

Religious debate and fear of print

●​ Print helped in wide circulation of ideas and thoughts
●​ people who were against the authorities could now circulate their ideas via print.
●​ print persuaded people to think differently
●​ some people a post the print culture as it can spread negative ideas.
●​ Church authority feared print as it can circulate irreligious thoughts and destroy
the value of pure literature.
●​ in 1517 Martin Luther wrote Ninety Five Thesis opposing the clergical rituals and
practices against the church of Rome. His ideas were spread rapidly and
reproduced invest numbers. this led to the beginning of the anti catholic
movement called the protestant reformation.
●​ printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest among all/

Print and Dissent

●​ Print created individual and distinctive interpretation of god even among little
educated people
●​ Sebastian Mennochia , a miller from Italy interpreted the message of the bible
which enraged roman catholic church
●​ The Inquision against heretical ideas hauled Menocchio twice and executed him
●​ Due to this incident, the roman catholic church publismed “index of prohibited
books” and imposed control over publishers and booksellers
 Reading Mania
Through the 17th and 18th century schools were set up in most parts of Europe. churches
of sub denomination set up Catholic schools. through the cell literacy rate went up to
almost 60% to 70%. as the literacy rate went up people got to read new books and the
demand for books increased

new forms of Publication introduced to target audiences. Like religious calendars and
almanacs Where sold widely at the cheap rate. in England there were chat books solved
by Chap peddlers. In France there was Bibliotheque Bleue, a form of publication with
blue coverings at a very cheap rate. There were also short books on romantic novels and
history.

There were also forms of Publication dedicated sharing entertainment with current
affairs. these involved current affairs about wars and trade along with news of
development.

trends help to popularise the ideas of scientist and philosophical thinkers. ancient
scientific discoveries were published. diagrams and flowchart by scientist became
common in newspaper. Discoveries of Isaac Newton was popularised wider section of the
public through print media. enlightment ideas of philosophical thinkers like Thomas pain
John jackwesting was purple rice among the common public through.

Tremble, therefore tyrants in the world

By the mid 18th century, there was a common belief that books could potentially change
the world and liberate society from tyranny and despotism. Louis Sebastain mercier, a
novelist of 18th century said “books are the most powerful engine towards progress and
public opinion is the force that can liberate the society from tyranny and despotism” In
his novel, he expressed transformation of heroes after reading books and briningin a
change. Mercier exclaimed: tremble, therefore tyrants in the world”

French Revolution and its Impact

Print played a very important role in French Revolution. It opened up an opportunity for
people to think differently

a)​ Friend help in the spread of the ideas of enlightment thinkers. the enlightment
thinkers were against the monarchy rule, superstition and despotism. Believed in
Rule By application instead of Rule By custom. they were against the charge
 authority and that believes and notes. the encourage the readers to view
everything with the sense of application, reason and rationalty. There thoughts
encourage readers to question everything they see. through print ideas of
Philosopher's like voltaire and rousseau were spread to common people.
b)​ through print people started viewing the cultural aspects through their own eyes
which were questioning rational and Critical. social norms and believes where
revaluated. this created an atmosphere of debate and discussion.
c)​ through print their developed a new culture of we should printing with material
like cartoons and caricatures which mocked the Monarchy authority at portrait
how the rulers the rulers enjoy a legs life with pleasure where the rich suffered and
interesting

In the 19th century books flooded the market and women children and common workers
at the main readers .
Education was made compulsory for children by the 19th Century so children became
children consistered a large number of readers a printing press was set up in France to for
children alone. the grim brothers spend years collecting folk tales from patience meant
for children. the folktales also acquired new form anything that was considered was
removed from the.

women made up A major portion of the reading public. there were penny magazines
meant for women specialised in teaching proper etiquet cooking manners etc. driver
famous women writers like George Eliot bronte sisters and Jane Austen who three defines
stereotypes against women

lending for white collar workers the lower middle class and artist sometimes self
educated people became started writing novel. the autobiography and political views

Further Innovation
By the end of 18th century, there developed power driven cylindrical press which could
bring up to 8000 sheet of print power it is developed by Richard and Ho
and then ofset process developed which could print up to 6 colours at a time
in the method of feeding paper developed
quality of paper improve
and there was automatic paper reason photoelectric control .
New strategies like periodicals,
Dust cover of book jacket

Religious Reforms and Public DEBATE

Mail 19th century was a period of religious debates and discussions different groups
confronted the changes happening in the Colonial society and their were different in
interpretation of belief and Faith. while some are good for the changes in for that
development others counter the arguments of the rainformer there was intensetention
between these groups of society. this arguments collectively gather in print, this allowed
a rider public to take part in the discussion and interpret there on you. the friends where
in the local language.

There was sentence tension between the Hindu orthodoxy and the social reformers. while
the Hindu orthoxy believed in the conservation the traditional practices and Customs the
the reformers was against the orthodox practices like one of them priesthet emulation etc
Rajaram Mohan Roy who was religious reformer published someone comedy which was
against practices arguments public. Naam and sample paper Gujarati newspaper.

Islam here that the colonial power What take over there traditional importance and
password people to convert from Islam to Christianity and were take a weather religious
freedom which is why a series of religious text Where translated from Urdu and Arabic
and published. Deoband seminary published regarding the Islamic culture and how to
maintain the religion

to maintain the religion vernacular language and .

As more people begin to read they wanted the reading material to convey daily life
experiences and intimate feelings inspired by Europe there inspired by novels in Europe
there develop Indian forms of novels talk in about human life experience is emotions and
feelings and it and it created at diversity of human life

there were short stories essays poems on social and political issues in some ways they
also talk about human life and intimate feelings and about the social and political rules

this created a sense of a new form of application that is printed material that is paintings
paintings
and cartoons educated And criticizing the colonial government.

Women and print

●​ Liberal husbands and fathers began educating the girl.
●​ Many journals, carried information emphasizing imp of women education
●​ Opportunity to write about their lives, Rashsundari Debi, Kalaishbashini Debi,
Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramambai
●​ Large segment related to women sector- widow remarriage women education,
widowhood.
●​ Pedlars started caring small booklets of religious texts and popular books for
women.
●​ Syllabus for women who do home-schooling
●​