Günther Zainer

Günther Zainer, also Zeyner or Zeiner († April 13, 1478 ), is considered the first printer of incunabula in Augsburg, where he worked from 1468 until his death; from his ancestral Offizin least 80 prints, including two German editions of the Bible and the first printed calendar.

Life

Günther Zainer came as the Ulm printer Johann Zainer, probably his brother, but it is certainly a relative of his was, from Reutlingen. 1463 is his marriage recorded with Agnes in the Civil War the city of Strasbourg, where he was a member of the painters and goldsmiths as Strasbourg citizens. Printing he learned there probably in John Mentelin. 1468 is the pressure of it demonstrated in Augsburg. In 1472 he became a citizen of Augsburg. Zainer was also, among other masters head of the new printing of the Augsburg monastery of St. Ulrich and Afra.

Work

The scope of the products resulting from its Augsburger Offizin production with at least 80 Print is regarded as remarkable for the period of ten years, in which Günther Zainer worked as a printer. Much of this production was created by order of the clergy; But Zainer also printed folk literature in German language, devotional works, medicinal books and calendars.

1468 published S. Bonaventurae meditationes vite dominant as the first proven pressure from Zainers press. The German edition of the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, saints' lives, he published his first illustrated work. 1472 appeared a pressure of Etymologiae of Isidore of Seville in his Offizin in Augsburg. 1475 Zainer printed a German edition of the Bible, which he followed in 1477 a second edition. The text of this expenditure was mainly for the following German Bible Prints up to Luther Bible.

Günther Zainers prints are when it comes to the paper, the design and the type used, as of particularly high quality; 32 illustrated prints and single prints some of them more than 100 pictures also document his interest in the printed book jewelry. So Zainer developed along the lines of medieval manuscripts Blumenranken for the edge of the type that are considered precursors of the printed skirt. His first German Bible he adorned with 73 large printed initials, which were also designed along the lines of book illumination.