In 1520, Lyonese bookseller Etienne Gueynard published a royal folio edition of the Latin Bible, measuring an impressive 347 x 257 mm, under the title Biblia cum concordantijs veteris et novi testamenti et sacrorum canonum. The Gothic fonts used throughout give the book a distinctive character, made all the more remarkable by the fact that every page of the Bible is printed in both red and black. Woodcut initials, borders, and illustrations further accentuate the architecture of each page. By 1520 Gueynard had already tested the market for visually lavish bibles by publishing two successful illustrated quartos in red and black in 1512 and 1516. The 1516 edition was considerably more lavish than the 1512 edition, notable for the larger number of woodcuts it contained. Four years later, Gueynard seemed ready to test the market again with an even more expensive, larger, and equally lavish offering. And yet, perhaps because this folio was slower to sell, Gueynard returned once again to the quarto format for his penultimate edition of the Bible in 1522. His second and last folio Bible appeared in 1526. By this time, other publishers had caught on: in 1527 Jean Crespin also published a rival folio edition of the Latin Bible in Lyon clearly modelled on Gueynard’s earlier efforts — though without the borders or the expensive red and black print on every page.

Gueynard’s elaborate title page designed for his 1520 Biblia Magna. This title page set a new aesthetic standard and was routinely imitated by other printers and publishers for at least a decade.

Etienne Gueynard managed to carve a niche for himself by insisting on visually stunning book designs. His affinity for detailed frontispieces, elaborate frames, and profuse illustrations set his publications apart in a market dominated by more muted editions. And Instead of relying on generic or readily available designs, Gueynard frequently commissioned original woodcuts tailored to suit the specific narrative or theme of his works. This resulted in an enduring and fruitful collaboration with Guillaume II Leroy, an artist of Flemish origin with a reputation for painting and illumination. Leroy’s time in Lyon, from 1494 to 1529, coincided with a period of considerable output for Gueynard and many of his publications incorporated Leroy’s signature woodcuts — including these remarkable bibles.

Jean Moylin, the printer responsible for producing this and earlier quarto editions, operated in Lyon between 1511 and 1541. Printing an entire volume in red and black ink was a major undertaking, but Moylin managed to persevere, producing a Bible that contemporary readers would have undoubtedly considered as artistically impressive as most printed Books of Hours. The text used was the revised Vulgate of Alberto Castellano, first published by Thielman Kerver in 1504. Castellano, whose biblical text by the 1520s had become a favourite among printers, was also known for his editorial work on canonical texts and religious history, most notably the Liber sacerdotalis published in 1523.