Hebrew-English Guide to Soncino

39 THE PRINTING MUSEUM Later on, the family were forced to leave Soncino. Giosuè Salomone went to Naples where he printed, in 1492, the second edition of the Jewish Bible while Gershom moved first to Brescia, where he prin- ted a pocket edition of the Bible (a copy of this one will be used by Martin Luther to translate the Bible into German), and then to Barco (near Orzinuovi, in the province of Brescia), where he printed the Selichot (a book of prayers). In the first three decades of the XVI century, Gershom Soncino prin- ted in Fano, Pesaro, Ortona a Mare, Rimini. In a quarter of a century (1502-1527) Gershom published almost a hundred editions in vulgar Italian, Latin and Greek and nearly 80 editions in Hebrew. In 1527 Gershom decided to leave Italy: he went to Salonicco and then to Constantinople, where he died in 1534. In Cairo, Egypt, the last editions of the family were printed. The Soncino printers ( the surname they chose in accordance with the christian use ) are considered the greatest ones of all times for their production between the end of the XV and the beginning of the XVI century. Nowadays the museum shows to its visitors the instruments used in the typography’s activity (presses, types, chests of drawers), but also books and objects related to the Jewish culture and original works of the Soncino printers. It’s also the seat of several exhibitions, mostly of engravings, of national and international artists.