Ricardo J. Vicent Museros facts for kids
Ricardo J. Vicent Museros (Turís, Valencia, 22 August 1938 – 23 February 2019) was a Spanish printer and publisher. He learned new ways of working, advertising, and graphic design in Germany. When he returned to Valencia, he used these new ideas.
He started the "Museo Nacional de la Imprenta y la Obra Gráfica" (National Printing and Graphic Works Museum) in El Puig de Santa María, Valencia. He also helped the cities of Valencia and Mainz (Germany) become "twin cities." In 1992, he received the "Gutenberg Prize" from the International Gutenberg Society. In 2003, the German government gave him the "Cross of Civil Merit" for his work in building cultural friendships between Spain and Germany.
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About His Life
Ricardo J. Vicent Museros came from a family of printers. His family started printing around 1860 in Castellón, Spain. He was the fourth generation in this printing tradition.
He studied in Valencia and then in Germany from 1956 to 1959. In Germany, he became a specialist in making copies of images for printing. He also gained experience in different printing factories.
His father, Ricardo Vicent Carbonell, started a printing business in Valencia in 1941. Ricardo J. Vicent took over this business. Later, he started several other companies, including «Vicent García Editores».
In his printing workshop in El Puig de Santa María, he printed special works for many famous artists of his time. Some of these artists included Adami, Alfaro, Arroyo, and Tapies. He stopped working in his printing businesses in 1995.
Valencia and Mainz: Twin Cities
Ricardo J. Vicent had many cultural connections with Germany. Because of his work, he helped the cities of Mainz (Germany) and Valencia (Spain) become "twin cities" in 1977.
This twinning was special because it connected the history of printing. Mainz is where the Gutenberg Bible was printed. This was a very important book made with movable type by Gutenberg around 1454. Valencia is where the first literary book in Spain was printed in 1474. It was called Obres o trobes en lahors de la Verge Maria.
The National Printing Museum
Ricardo J. Vicent visited the "Gutenberg Museum" in Mainz, Germany. This visit inspired him to create the "National Printing and Graphic Works Museum" in Valencia in 1987.
The museum found its home in the Monastery of Santa María del Puig. This was possible thanks to the help of the Order of Mercy, who owned the monastery. Many people from the printing industry in Spain also helped.
The museum collected old printing machines and items related to publishing, engraving, and books. Ricardo J. Vicent's family had kept many of these items for decades. In 2000, he gave the museum to the Generalitat Valenciana (the regional government of Valencia).
Ricardo J. Vicent loved the town of El Puig de Santa María, where the museum is. He also gave eleven sculptures to the town over time. You can see these sculptures in the town's squares and streets.
Vicent García Editores
Ricardo J. Vicent started his publishing company, Vicent García Editores, in 1974. This company published special, limited edition copies of very old books. These included manuscripts (handwritten books) and incunabula (books printed before 1501). The company also published encyclopedias about the culture of Valencia.
Copies of Old Books
One special type of book they copied was illuminated manuscripts. These are old books with beautiful drawings and decorations. An interesting example is a curious heart-shaped book called Chansonnier Cordiforme. Another was the Neapolitan book Eclogues, Georgics and Aenid by Virgil.
The company also made copies of very early printed books, like The 42-line Bible. This famous Bible was printed by Gutenberg in 1454 using movable type.
Through his company, Ricardo J. Vicent also created the "International Bibliophile Society. Club Konrad Haebler." This club published many copies of old books from the Renaissance period. These books covered different topics and authors, such as:
- Obres o trobes en lahors de la Verge Maria
- Gramática castellana by Nebrija
- Liber chronicarum by Schedel
- De le meravegliose cose del mondo by Marco Polo
Books About Valencia
Vicent García Editores published many books about the Region of Valencia. These books explored its history, traditions, and artists. They helped people learn more about the area. Some of the main book series included:
- Nuestras tierras (Our Lands)
- «Valencian Themed» books, like Nuestras fiestas (Our Festivals) and Nuestros vinos (Our Wines).
- «Our Museums» series, featuring museums like the Prehistory museum.
- "Valencian Painters" series, with books about artists like Sorolla and Pinazo.
- Historia de la cerámica valenciana (History of Valencian Ceramics).
Awards and Honors
Ricardo J. Vicent received many awards for his work. Some of the most important include:
- "First prize" in the "Typographic Art" Creative Printing Competition in Philadelphia, USA.
- "Best Book Published Award" in 1990 from the Ministry of Culture in Madrid, Spain. This was for a copy of an old book called Atlas de Historia Natural de Felipe II.
- "1992 Gutenberg Prize" from the International Gutenberg Society and the city of Mainz, Germany.
- "Cross of Civil Merit" from the German Government in 2003.
- "Gold Medal" from the Association of Graphic Industrialists of Valencia and its Province.
Exhibitions of His Work
Ricardo J. Vicent's published works were shown in several important exhibitions:
- In 2000, the Biblioteca Nacional de España (Spanish National Library, Madrid) held an exhibition of the best books of the 20th century. Nine titles from Vicent García Editores were chosen.
- In 2001, the International Gutenberg Society in Mainz, Germany, celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Their exhibition focused on the books published by Ricardo J. Vicent.
- In 2003, the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain held an exhibition called "Pasión por los libros" (Passion for books). It was dedicated to the work of Vicent García Editores.
- There is a permanent exhibition of Vicent García Editores' work at the National Printing Museum in the Monastery of Santa María del Puig, Valencia, Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Ricardo J. Vicent Museros para niños
