April 11, 2008–May 30, 2017

This exhibition explores the significance of two monumental Bibles—the Giant Bible of Mainz and the Gutenberg Bible, which marks the beginning of the printed book. The Bibles can be seen as bookends, representing the end of an era (Mainz and manuscript writing) and the beginning of an era (Gutenberg and the explosion of knowledge and creativity moveable type would engender). Both Bibles were produced in the same city during the same period. The relationship between the Mainz Bible, the Gutenberg Bible, and sixteen other selected Bibles reveals the importance of the Library’s Bible Collection as a portal to the history of the book.