New Exhibition: 1514. Book. 2014
In 2014, it was 500 years ago that the first book was printed. To commemorate this significant period in time, we created a virtual exhibition together with the National Library of Latvia. The printed book changed the world by first changing its readers. During the period 500 years ago, the nature of the book was undergoing important changes. With the development of printing technology, books became cheaper, more convenient to read and accessible to a wider audience; books became the messengers of religious and social change.
The distant year 1514 vividly characterises the age of great change: the end of the Renaissance and the blossoming of humanism, culminating in the Reformation. This virtual exhibition provides you an opportunity to examine the books published in that particular year across Europe, revealing the cultural richness and diversity of the age.
Explore the books in our English or Latvian exhibition. Below we show a sneak peek of what you can expect!
