Foundations of Type Design
Section 6. History of the Latin Alphabet
Section 6. History of the Latin Alphabet
6.1: The Early Written Scripts
Links to References in Lecture:
- Phoenician Alphabet
- Archaic Greek Alphabet Inscription on bronze tablet, early 6th century BC.
- Wax diptycha (writing tablets), British Library Add MS 34186, 2nd Century
- Square Capitals (Quadrata): Codex Sangallensis, Italy, approx. 5th century
- Roman Rustics: Codex Palatinus Forum, Italy, approx. 4–6th century
- Old Roman Cursive: Horse Sales Contract, 77 CE
- Old and New Roman Cursive (Ancient Scripts: Rustic Capitals, Old and New Roman Cursive by Dartmouth Ancient Books Lab
- Half-Uncial: Codex Bambergensis, Bamberg, Staatsbibiotk, written in Italy 6th CE
- Merovingian: Gallican Lectionary from the Luxeuil Abbey, National Library of France, 7th Century
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: the Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- Clayton, Ewan. The Golden Thread: the Story of Writing. Atlantic Books, 2018.
- Gray, Nicolete. Lettering as Drawing. Oxford U.P, 1970.
- Tschichold, Jan. An Illustrated History of Writing and Lettering. 1948.
6.2: The Later Written Scripts
Links to References in Lecture:
- Humanistic Cursive: Biblia. Bibliorum Tomus I, Antonio Sinibaldi or pupil Alessandro Verazzano 1489–90
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: the Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- Clayton, Ewan. The Golden Thread: the Story of Writing. Atlantic Books, 2018.
- Gray, Nicolete. Lettering as Drawing. Oxford U.P, 1970.
- Tschichold, Jan. An Illustrated History of Writing and Lettering. 1948.
6.3: The Renaissance & The Writing Masters
Links to References in Lecture:
- Fra Luca de Pacioli, Divina Proportione, 1509
- Ludovico degli Arrighi, Il modo de temperare le penne, Rome, 1523
- Albrecht Dürer, Applied Geometry, Nuremberg 1525
- Giovanni Battista Palatino, Libro Nuovo […] ,1540
- Giovanni Francesco Cresci, Essemplare di piv sorti lettere,1560
- Ludovico degli Arrighi, La operina di Ludouico Vicentino, Rome, 1522
- Giovanni Francesco Cresci, Essemplare di piv sorti lettere,1560
- Johann Neudörffer, Fundament, 1519
- Johann Neudörffer, Writing Book (Eine Gute Ordnung und kurtze unterucht' [sic]), 1538-1541
- Wolfgang Fugger, Ein nützlich vnd wolgegründt Formular manncherley schöner Schriefften, 1553
- Michael Baürenfeind, Vollkommene Wiederherstellung der bißher sehr in Verfall…, 1716
- Juan de Yciar, Arte subtilissima, 1548
- Francisco Lucas, Arte de escreuir, 1577
- Geoffrey Tory, Champ Fleury, 1529
- Louis Barbedor, Les Escritures financière et italienne-bastarde dans leur naturel..., 1647
- Louis Barbedor, Nouveaux exemplaires d'ecriture d'une beauté..., (undated)
- Edward Cocker, Pen’s Transcendencie, 1657
- John Ayres, A Tutor to Penmanship, 1695
- Charles Snell, The Art of Writing, 1712
- George Shelley, Alphabets in all the hands ... Done for the use of ... Christ-Hospital, London., 1710
- John Jenkins, Art of Writing, 1791
- Platt Roger Spencer, Compendium of Spencerian, or semi-angular penmanship, 1866
- P.R. Spencer’s Sons, New Spencerian Compendium of Penmanship, 1879
- Charles Paxton Zaner, New Zanerian Alphabets, 1900
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: the Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- Ogg, Oscar. Three Classics of Italian Calligraphy. Dover Publications, 1953.
- pennavolans.com/19th-20th-penmanship-in-the-usa
6.4: The Early Types
Links to References in Lecture:
- 백운화상초록불조직지심체요절 Jikji, The National Library of France, 1377
- Johann Kamp, Bohemian Bible, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek 1488
- Nicolas Jenson, St. Augustine De civitate Dei (City of God), The Morgan Library & Museum, 1475
- Erhard Ratdolt, Euclid’s Elements, University of Toronto, 1482
- Erhard Ratdolt, (Untitled Broadside), Bayerische Staatsbibliotheck, 1486
- Aldus Manutius & Francesco Griffo, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, 1499
- First italic type, Epistole deuotissime, Standford Library, 1500
- Arrighi (with Lautitio di Meo de Rotelli) Epistola al Santissimo Nostro Signore Papa Clemente VII (for Gian Giorgio Trissino), Rome, 1522
- Pasquier Bonhomme’s Lettre Bâtarde, Grandes Chroniques de France, 1477
- Robert Granjon’s Civilite, Dialogue de la vie et de la mort, 1557
- Claude Garamond, Specimen Charactervm Sev Typorvm Latinorvm…, Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main 1592
- Civilité by Keere, From Enschedé en Zonen's A Selection of Types, 1931
- Printed by John Dunlap, Declaration of Independence, 1776
- Romain du Roi, 1692
- Giambattista Bodoni, Manuale Tipograpfico, 1818
- Firmin & Pierre Didot, Opera by Horace, 1799
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: the Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- Graphic Design History: www.designhistory.org
6.5: 19th and Early 20th Century Types
Links to References in Lecture:
- Specimen of Plain & Ornamental Types from the Foundry of V. & J. Figgins, London 1845
- Caslon Egyptian, Two Lines English Egyptian, 1816
- Henry Caslon, Specimen of Printing Types, Oxford University, 1841
- William Morris, Kelmscott Press Printers Mark, University of Maryland 1894
- Troy Type, A Note by William Morris on his aims in founding the Kelmscott Press, University of Maryland 1898
- William Morris, The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer now newly imprinted, Bridwell Library 1896
- Frederic Goudy, Village Press, There is no unbelief by Elizabeth York Case, 1907
- Frederic Goudy, Village Press, The bunch of violets, 1907
- Hildegard Henning, Belladonna, 1912
- Elizabeth Colwell, Colwell Handletter, 1916
- Herbert Bayer, Universal typeface, 1925 (source: Index Grafik)
- Rudolf Koch, Kabel, released 1927
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: The Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- I Love Typography: ilovetypography.com
- Frere-Jones Type Blog : frerejones.com/blog
- Commercial Classics : commercialclassics.com/catalogue/caslon_ionic
- Graphic Design History: www.designhistory.org
- Letterform Archive Flickr Page
- Type Foundry: typefoundry.blogspot.com
6.6: Modern Types and Influences
Links to References in Lecture:
- Ramsey Psalter, British Library, 4th quarter of the 10th century
- Rudolf Koch, Neuland, 1923
- Hermann Zapf, Feder Und Stichel (Pen and Graver) 1950
- Hermann Zapf, Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations, 1960
- George Salter, Frieda Lawrence, 1964
- Friedrich Hermann Ernst Schneidler
- Oldřich Menhart
- Jan Van Krimpen
- William A. Dwiggins, Metro Ad in Advertising Arts, 1932
- First/early female typeface designers by Indra Kupferschmid
- Women in type bibliography by Elena Verguillas
Lecture Bibilography:
- Anderson, Donald M. The Art of Written Forms: The Theory and Practice of Calligraphy. Toronto, London, Holt, 1969.
- Font Bureau blog
- Daily Type Specimen blog
- Typographica
6.7: Outro
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