Juan Pablos
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Paoli, better known as Juan Pablos (1500?-1560 or 1561), a native of Lombardy
, was the first documented printer in the Americas when he started printing in Mexico in 1539.
Giovanni Paoli was born in the region of Brescia
around 1500. He may have been trained in the same school as Aldus Manutius
, but apart from that nothing is known about his early years. In 1536, Juan Cromberger wanted to establish a printing house in Mexico and sent Juan Pablos to Mexico City. Pablos departed from Seville
on 12 June 1539 and arrived in October 1539, when he set up the company in the "casa de Juan Cromberger
". Cromberger's name also appeared on all early publications in Mexico until 1545 even though he never visited Mexico and died in 1540.
The first known book to be published in the Americas was the 1539 edition of the Breve y mas compendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexicana y Castellana by Juan de Zumárraga
. Juan Pablos obtained the necessary patents and permissions to continue Cromberger's workshop as his own after the death of Cromberger in 1540, until his own death in 1560 or 1561, when he had printed at least 37 books. Pablos trained and employed the next generation of Mexican printers, including Pedro Ocharte
, who was also his son-in-law, and Antonio de Espinosa, who started working with Pablos in 1554. Espinosa became the second printer in Mexico, in 1559.
Juan Pablos was married to Geronima Gutierrez, who received the viceroyal printing privilege after his death. Their daughter Maria de Figueroa married Pedro Ocharte in 1561 or 1562, and they took over the company from Gutierrez in 1563.
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, was the first documented printer in the Americas when he started printing in Mexico in 1539.
Biography
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
around 1500. He may have been trained in the same school as Aldus Manutius
Aldus Manutius
Aldus Pius Manutius , the Latinised name of Aldo Manuzio —sometimes called Aldus Manutius, the Elder to distinguish him from his grandson, Aldus Manutius, the Younger—was an Italian humanist who became a printer and publisher when he founded the Aldine Press at Venice.His publishing legacy includes...
, but apart from that nothing is known about his early years. In 1536, Juan Cromberger wanted to establish a printing house in Mexico and sent Juan Pablos to Mexico City. Pablos departed from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
on 12 June 1539 and arrived in October 1539, when he set up the company in the "casa de Juan Cromberger
House of the First Print Shop in the Americas
The House of the First Print Shop in the Americas at the corner of Moneda and Licenciado Primo Verdad streets in Mexico City was the home of the first printing press/print shop in the New World....
". Cromberger's name also appeared on all early publications in Mexico until 1545 even though he never visited Mexico and died in 1540.
The first known book to be published in the Americas was the 1539 edition of the Breve y mas compendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexicana y Castellana by Juan de Zumárraga
Juan de Zumárraga
Juan de Zumárraga was a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate and first bishop of Mexico.-Origins and arrival in New Spain:...
. Juan Pablos obtained the necessary patents and permissions to continue Cromberger's workshop as his own after the death of Cromberger in 1540, until his own death in 1560 or 1561, when he had printed at least 37 books. Pablos trained and employed the next generation of Mexican printers, including Pedro Ocharte
Pedro Ocharte
Pedro Ocharte was one of the first printers in the Americas, active from 1563 to 1592.Originally from Rouen in France, Ocharte came to the City of Mexico in New Spain around 1549. He married Maria de Figueroa, the daughter of printer Juan Pablos, and in 1563 took over the operation of Pablos's press...
, who was also his son-in-law, and Antonio de Espinosa, who started working with Pablos in 1554. Espinosa became the second printer in Mexico, in 1559.
Juan Pablos was married to Geronima Gutierrez, who received the viceroyal printing privilege after his death. Their daughter Maria de Figueroa married Pedro Ocharte in 1561 or 1562, and they took over the company from Gutierrez in 1563.
Works published
- 1539: Breve y mas compendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexicana y Castellana by Juan de ZumárragaJuan de ZumárragaJuan de Zumárraga was a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate and first bishop of Mexico.-Origins and arrival in New Spain:...
, a text in Spanish and NahuatlNahuatlNahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
(multiple editions) - 1540: Manual de Adultos
- 1541: Relacion del espantable terremoto, a report on the 10 September 1541 earthquake that destroyed Guatemala CityGuatemala CityGuatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
- 1543: Doctrina breve muy provechosa by Juan de Zumárraga, intended for children
- 1544: Tripartite des Christianissimo y consolatorio doctor Juan Gerson, first Mexican book with woodcut illustrations
- 1544: Compedio breve (2 editions)
- 1544: Doctrina christiana (multiple editions)
- 1546: Cancienore Spiritual, the first book to carry the name of Juan Pablos instead of Juan Cromberger
- 1547: Regle Christiana breve
- 1547: Nuevo Vergel by Diego Bernal
- 1548: Ordenaças y copilacion de leyes
- 1548: Doctrina Christiana en lengua Huasteca by Diego de Guevara
- 1548: Nueva Espana. Legislacion by Antonio de MendozaAntonio de MendozaAntonio de Mendoza y Pacheco, Marquis of Mondéjar, Count of Tendilla , was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from April 17, 1535 to November 25, 1550, and the second viceroy of Peru, from September 23, 1551 to July 21, 1552...
- 1549: Copilacion breve de un tratado que se llama Mistica theologia by Saint Bonaventura
- 1550: Doctrina Christiana en lengua Mixteca by Benito Fernandez (reprinted three times)
- 1554: Recognitio. Summularum reverendi patri Ildephonsi by Alonso GutiérrezAlonso GutiérrezAlonso Gutiérrez, aslso known as Alonso de la Vera Cruz , was a Spanish philosopher and Augustinian, who took the religious name da Vera Cruz...
- 1554: Dialectica Resolutio cum textu Aristotelis
- 1554: Dialogi de Academia Mexicana by Francisco Cervantes de SalazarFrancisco Cervantes de SalazarFrancisco Cervantes de Salazar was a Spanish man of letters.He was born and raised in Toledo. He first attended Alejo Venegas’s Grammar School and then studied at the University of Salamanca. In 1539 he accompanied Licenciado Pedro Giron to the Low Countries where he met, among other luminaries,...
- 1554: Vives by Francisco Cervantes de Salazar
- 1555: Un vocabulario en la lengua Castellana y Mexicana by Alonso de MolinaAlonso de MolinaAlonso de Molina was a Franciscan priest and grammarian, who wrote a well-known dictionary of the Nahuatl language published in 1571....
- 1556: Sumario Compendioso by Juan Diez, the first non-religious scientific book to be published outside Europe
- 1556: Costituciones del arzobiscopado y provincia de la muy insigne y muy leal ciudad de Tenuxtitlan Mexico de la Nueva Espana
- 1556: Costituciones Fratruum Heremitarum sancti patris nostri Augustini Hiponensis episcopi et doctoris ecclesiae together with the Ordinarium sacri ordinis heremitaru by Diego de Vertauillo and the Regula: the Ordinarium (80 pages) was the first book of music printed in the Americas
- 1556: Speculum Conjugiorum by Alonso Gutiérrez
- 1556: Catecismo y doctrina Christiana en idioma Utlateco by Francisco MarroquinFrancisco MarroquínFrancisco Marroquín was an early bishop of Guatemala and translator of Central American languages.Marroquín was born in Santander, Spain. He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Huesca...
- 1557: Phisica speculatio by Alonso Gutiérrez
- 1559: Dialogo de doctrina cristiana, Vocabulario and Thesoro spiritual, all three by Maturino Gilberti in lengua de MechuacanMichoacánMichoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
- 1560: Manuale Sacramentorum, the last work published by Pablos, 354 pages.