When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the survival of ancient Greek learning hung in the balance.

Determined to save this legacy, the scholar-printer Aldus Manutius moved to Venice and founded a press unlike any the world had seen. Drawing on his deep knowledge of Greek, he created innovative typefaces-including the first italics-and pioneered the modern portable book.

Working alongside refugee Greek scholars and distinguished humanists such as Erasmus of Rotterdam, Aldus transformed the future of printing even as he faced arson, piracy, theft, and the suspicions of a wary Church.

Sustained by love and purpose, Aldus Manutius fought setback after setback to preserve the wisdom of antiquity and make it accessible to all.