Erected in 1840, the statue which celebrates the printer is in the spotlight at the Historical Museum. A major work by sculptor David d’Angers, the monument was inaugurated in 1840 on the square of the same name during the celebrations in honor of Gutenberg, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing.
The bronze statue was originally commissioned from the famous sculptor by municipal authorities to pay homage to the eminent local figure. It depicts Gutenberg holding a printed page on which appears the biblical inscription “And there was light”. These words express the openness of knowledge to all, disseminated by printed books, while the base illustrates the contribution of printing throughout the world. The bas-reliefs feature thinkers and writers from Europe, Africa, Asia and America whose ideas were transmitted through printing.
Based on the rich collections of museums, the exhibition “Make way for Gutenberg!” A monument by David d’Angers for living together” reveals everything about the monument, from the creative process to the industrial procession which marked its inauguration. This was made up of international delegations, printers from all over France, but also from different trades in the city as well as representatives of the new profession of lithographers.
In this year of World Book Capital, the statue has been completely cleaned to restore all its original luster.
Pascale Lemerle
Illustrations Strasbourg Museums
Read also A second life for lithographic printing
An exhibition to discover until February 23 at the Strasbourg Historical Museum.
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