About The Exhibition
In the Great Hall of the Library of Congress, two monumental Bibles face each other as if in dialogue: one, the Giant Bible of Mainz, signifies the end of the handwritten book—and the other, the Gutenberg Bible, marks the beginning of the printed book and the explosion of knowledge and creativity it would engender. This exhibition explores the significance of the two Bibles, and, through an interactive presentation, the relationship between the Mainz Bible, the Gutenberg Bible, and sixteen selected Bibles from the Library’s collections.
EXHIBITION THEMES
The Giant Bible of Mainz is one of the last great handwritten giant Bibles in Europe. It represents the culmination of hundreds of years of transmission of text through the handwritten manuscript. The text of the Bible is embellished with finely crafted decoration and illumination.
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The Gutenberg Bible is the first great book printed in Western Europe from movable metal type. It marks a turning point in the art of bookmaking and consequently in the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern world.
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The Library’s Bible Collection, which includes 1,500 editions of the Bible in more than 150 languages, offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness the Bible’s transformation over 800 years.
interactives
Explore, compare, and contrast aspects of the Mainz and Gutenberg Bibles. Learn about the history and characteristics of each of the Bibles. Explore a selection of sixteen additional Bibles from the Library’s collections. These Bibles document a history of Western ideas, religion, art, printing, and illustration.
Experience the Interactive