Printing Press
In the 1797 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica there are over sixteen pages devoted to the printing entry:
…the art of printing, in whatever light it is viewed, has deserved respect and attention. From its ingenuity of contrivance, it was ever excited mechanical curiosity; from its intimate connexion with learning, it has justly claimed historical notice; and from its extensive influence on morality, politics, and religion, it is not become a subject of very important speculation.
The revolution of printing sparked by Johannes Gutenberg (circa 1400-1468) and his adaptation of the hand-press, metal moveable type, and ink was an all-encompassing intellectual, social, scientific, economic, religious, and cultural revolution.
Like the press seen in the upper left corner here, Gutenberg’s hand-press was made of wood and was likely modeled on winepresses, a connection visible here with the printing press positioned next to a cider press demonstrating their technical similarities.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature. Edinburgh: Printed for A. Bell and C. Macfarquhar, 1797.