Sebastian Gryphius
Sebastian Gryphius | |
|---|---|
| Born | Reutlingen |
| Died | 7 September 1556 Lyon |
| Occupation(s) | Printer, bookseller |
| Known for | Leader of a distinguished printing establishment in Lyon; significant figure in humanist circles; publisher of classical and Hebrew texts |
Sebastian Gryphius (; , born in Reutlingen – died 7 September 1556, in Lyon) was the leader of a distinguished printing establishment in Lyon and recognized as a significant figure in humanist circles.
Biography
The son of Michael Greyff, Gryphius acquired his printing expertise through training in Germany and Venice before relocating to Lyon around 1520, likely upon invitation by the . He was granted French citizenship by François I in 1532.
Gryphius initially concentrated on producing legal and administrative texts using Gothic script, but later shifted his focus to Latin classical literature and translated Greek authors into Latin. He issued publications from notable contemporaries including Erasmus, Guillaume Budé, Philip Melanchthon, and Poliziano. Celebrated for his meticulous typesetting, he was prolific in works related to language and philology. Among his key publications were Hebrew texts by Santes Pagninus, such as the condensed Institutiones Hebraicae (1528), the comprehensive Thesaurus linguæ sanctæ (1529), and the first Hebrew Psalms edition printed in France (1530).
In 1536, backed financially by Hugues de la Porte, Gryphius established l'Atelier du Griffon, distinguished by a griffin emblem, where he introduced Aldus Manutius's innovative Italic type. By the 1540s, he had earned the title 'Prince of the Lyon book trade', responsible for nearly half of Europe's scholarly textbooks. His reputation was enhanced by his clear page layouts and precision. Although some accounts describe his printshop as an "angelic society" fostering free thought, this characterization is probably inaccurate.
Among his collaborators were André Alciat, François Rabelais, Étienne Dolet, Maurice Scève, and Barthélemy Aneau, who contributed linguistic knowledge that enriched his publications. Gryphius also printed works later condemned as heretical by the Catholic Church, including Girolamo Savonarola's Dominicæ Precationis Explanatio.
Between 1534 and 1538, upon recommendation from , Gryphius partnered closely with Étienne Dolet, publishing Dolet’s contentious speeches and academic writings despite Dolet’s opposition to Erasmian views. After Dolet secured royal privilege in 1538, Gryphius continued printing his works until their collaboration ended due to disagreements over editions. Dolet was executed for heresy in 1546.
Starting from 1540, François Rabelais collaborated with Gryphius to publish translations of medical treatises by Hippocrates, Galen, and Giovanni Mainardi, alongside Rabelais's edition of Macrobius.
Family
Sebastien Gryphius’ brother Franz (known as François) operated a printing business on rue des Carmes in Paris between 1532 and 1545, while another relative, Johann (Jean), ran a publishing house in Venice from 1540 to 1585. Both enterprises employed the Lyonnais griffin emblem atop a cube and globe, likely capitalizing on their famous kinsman’s renown. His illegitimate son Antoine (circa 1527–1599) inherited the Lyon print shop and fathered Sébastien II Gryphius, who worked as a bookseller first in Lyon and later in Bordeaux.
Legacy
- A street in Lyon is named after him.
- The Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon produces a journal entitled Gryphe.