Johannes Petri (1441 Langendorf – 29 April 1511 Basel) a printer in Basel and the founder of the oldest existing publishing house in 1488.

Education and early life

Johannes Petri was born in 1441 in Langendorf in

Lower Franconia Lower Franconia (, ) is one of seven districts of Bavaria, Germany. The districts of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia make up the region of Franconia. It consists of nine districts and 308 municipalities (including three cities). History After ...

. It is assumed that in a monastery he learned to read and

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

. Following he moved to the nearby Amorbach where he met Johann Welcker, who would later become his printing partner in Basel. He then moved on to

Mainz Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...

, where he trained in a print workshop. Later he might have met the German printer Anton Koberger in

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

and he printed his first book in

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

. He then travelled to Freiburg where he sold the books, and found work as a

scribe A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of Printing press, automatic printing. The work of scribes can involve copying manuscripts and other texts as well as ...

. In about 1480, he shall have come to Basel, where he was employed by Johann Amorbach who had come into ownership of two houses in the Rhine Alley.

In Basel

In 1488 he becomes a citizen of Basel, two weeks later he enters the which permitted him to open his own workshop in the Ackermanshof in St.Johanns Vorstadt.Wallraff, Martin (2013). Lanfranchi, Corina (ed.)p.32 He closely cooperated with the fellow printers Johann Amerbach and

Johann Froben Johann Froben, in Latin: Johannes Frobenius (and combinations), (c. 1460 – 27 October 1527) was a famous printer, publisher and learned Renaissance humanist in Basel. He was a close friend of Erasmus and cooperated closely with Hans Holbein t ...

, and the trio would become well known as ''Die Drei Hannsen'' (The three Hannsen, Hanns as abr. of Johannes). Most of his prints were cooperations with the two, except for an edition of the collected works from

Ambrose Ambrose of Milan (; 4 April 397), venerated as Saint Ambrose, was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promoting Roman Christianity against Ari ...

of 1506.Wallraff, Martin (2013). Lanfranchi, Corina (ed.)pp.33–34 The edition of 1978 pages and three volumes counted with an

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and is the only recorded work for which Johannes Petri is mentioned as the sole printer. Its editor was Conrad Leontorius. An other accomplishment was the printing of the collected works of

Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

, which was a major project for which the three Hannsen joined forces for three years. The Augustine edition was also published in 1506 and 1600 exemplars were shipped to Anton Koberger of

. From 1509, the first printers-mark of Johannes Petri depicting a

Basilisk In European bestiary, bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a Serpent symbolism, serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the ''Natural History (Pliny), Naturalis Histo ...

holding the coats of Arms from Basel is known. In 1511, he transfers his printshop to his nephew Adam Petri.Wallraff, Martin (2013). Lanfranchi, Corina (ed.)pp.38–40

Personal life

He married Barbara Mellinger, the daughter of the owner of the Ackermanshof. and also the

Vogt An , sometimes simply advocate, (German, ), or (French, ), was a type of medieval office holder, particularly important in the Holy Roman Empire, who was delegated some of the powers and functions of a major feudal lord, or for an institutio ...

of Birseck in 1500. The marriage took place in the Church of the Karthäuser. The two became the parents of six children. With time, he bought the house adjacent of the Ackermanshof from where at the time one could see the hills of the

Black Forest The Black Forest ( ) is a large forested mountain range in the States of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is th ...

. In 1505, he was excepted from military service in return of providing a replacement. Johannes Petri died on the 29 April 1511 and was buried in the cemetery of the Preachers Church in Basel. An epitaph composed by Beatus Rhenanus was added to his grave on request of Johannes Froben. His wife Barbara would die shortly after and their three children and the printing workshop would later be entrusted to Johannes Froben.

References

{{Authority Control 1441 births 1511 deaths German printers Swiss printers