Q1. [4]
Gutenberg printed about 180 copies, of which no more than 50 have survived.
Look at these pages of Gutenberg's Bible carefully. They were not just products of new technology. The text was printed in the new Gutenberg press with metal type, but the borders were carefully designed, painted and illuminated by hand by artists. No two copies were the same. Every page of each copy was different. Even when two copies look similar, a careful comparison will reveal differences. Elites everywhere preferred this lack of uniformity: what they possessed then could be claimed as unique, for no one else owned a copy that was exactly the same.
In the text you will notice the use of colour within the letters in various places. This had two functions : it added colour to the page, and highlighted all the holy words to emphasise their significance. But the colour on every page of the text was added by hand. Gutenberg printed the text in black, leaving spaces where the colour could be filled in later.
Read the given source and answer the questions that follow :
- (34.1) Mention the contribution of Gutenberg in the field of printing. [1]
- (34.2) How were the books borders painted and illuminated ? [1]
- (34.3) Describe any two benefits of colouring in the letters. [2]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2025 32/5/1 Q34
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:01 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(34.1) Gutenberg invented the printing press with metal type. He printed about 180 copies of the Bible, which was the first printed book in Europe.
(34.2) The borders of the books were not printed by machine. They were carefully designed, painted, and illuminated by hand by artists, making every copy unique and different from the others.
(34.3) The two benefits of colouring in the letters were:
- It added colour to the page, making it visually attractive.
- It highlighted all the holy words to emphasise their religious significance.
Source: Print Culture and the Modern World, Gutenberg's Bible (extract)
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Explanation
- 34.1: One line is enough for 1 mark — name the invention and link it to the Bible.
- 34.2: The key phrase from the passage is "by hand by artists" — examiners look for this distinction between printed text and hand-painted borders.
- 34.3: Both functions are directly stated in the passage ("two functions"). Quote or closely paraphrase them — no outside knowledge needed. Each function = 1 mark.
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