Letters and Lettering
^T 1.^ V<>.^
L E T T E ^ S
L E T T E I N G
A TREATISE WITH 200 EXAMPLES
FRANK CHOUTEAU BROWN
V
BOSTON
BATES & GUILD COMPANY
MCMXXI
\ !
7/.
Copyright, 1921, by
BATES & GUILD COMPANY
Printed by
T. O. Metcalf Co.
Boston, Mass.
Printed in the U.S.A.
NOTE
This book is intended for those who have felt the need of
a varied collection of alphabets of standard forms, arranged
for convenient use.
The alphabets illustrated, while primarily intended to
exhibit the letter shapes, have in most cases been so arranged
as to show also how the letters compose into words, except
in those instances where they are intended to be used only
as initials. The application of classic and medieval letters
to modern usages has been, as far as possible, suggested
by showing modern designs in which similar forms are
employed.
In view of the practical aim of this treatise it has been
deemed advisable to include a larger number of illustrative
examples rather than to devote space to the historical evo-
lution of the letter forms.
To the artists, American and European, who have so
kindly furnished him with drawings of their characteristic
letters — and without whose cordial assistance this book
would hardly have been possible — to the master-printers
who have allowed him to show types specially designed for
them, and to the publishers who have given him permission
to borrow from their books and magazines, the author wishes
to express his sincere obligations.
F. C. B.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE
I and 2 Alphabet after Sebastian Serlio (1473-1554).
Reconstructed by Albert R. Ross ....
3 Width Proportions of Modern Roman Capitals.
F. C. B
4 Drawing for Incised Roman Capitals. For cutting in
granite. Letter terms based upon those shown in figures
I and 2. F. C. B.
5 Photograph of Incised Roman Capitals. Cut in granite
from drawing shown in figure 4 ....
6 Incised Roman Capitals. From the Arch of Constantine,
Rome.. 315 A.D. From a photograph
7 Model for Incised Roman Capitals. Used for inscrip-
tions cut in granite on Boston Public Library. McKim,
Mead & White, Architects. Photographed from a cast
8 Roman Incised Capitals. From fragments in marble
National Museum, Naples. Rubbing
9 Roman Incised Inscription. Museo Civico, Bologna
From a photograph .....
10 Roman Incised Inscription. Museo Civico, Bologna
From a photograph .....
1 ; Detail from a Roman Incised Inscription. Showing
composition. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.
12 " Rustic" Roman Capitals. Of pen forms, but cut in
stone. Redrawn from a rubbing. From fragment in the
National Museum, Naples. F. C. B. . . .
13 Roman Capitals from Fragments of Inscriptions.
Showing various characteristic letter forms. Redrawn
from rubbings. F. C. B. . . ' .
14 Modern Roman Incised Capitals. Executed in sand-
stone. From the Harvard Architectural Building, Cam-
bridge, Mass. McKim, Mead & White^ Architects
I 5 Letters Shown in Alphabet i and 2, in Composition.
By Albert R. Ross ......
4-5
10
1 1
12
13
15
15
16
16
I
/
18
19
viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE PAGE
1 6 and 17 Classic Roman Capitals. Cut in marble.
Redrawn from rubbings made in the Forum, Rome.
F. C. B, . . . . . . . 20-2 1
I 8 and l 9 Classic Roman Capitals. Late period. Cut in
marble. Redrawn from rubbings. F. C. B. . 22-23
20 Portion of Roman Inscription. With supplied letters.
Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B. . . . . 24
21 Classic Roman Inscription. Incised in marble. Redrawn
from a rubbing. F. C. B. . . . . '25
22 Classic Roman Inscription. In stone. Redrawn from
a rubbing. F. C. B. . . . . . .26
23 Italian Renaissance Inscription. Square-sunk in marble.
From a photograph of a mortuary slab . . .28
24 Italian Renaissance Medal. By Vittore Pisano. I 5th
Century. From a photograph . . . . .29
25 Modern French Medal. By Oscar Roty. From a pho-
tograph of the original in the Luxembourg, Paris . .29
26 Capitals Adapted from Renaissance Medals. F. C. B. 30
27 Spanish Renaissance Alphabet. By Juan de Yciar.
From '«Arte por la qual se esena a escrevir perfectamente. "
(Saragossa, 1550) , . . . . . -31
28 Renaissance Inlaid Medallion. From a floor-slab in
Santa Croce, Florence. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B. 32
29 Italian Renaissance Capitals. From an inlaid floor-slab
in Santa Croce, Florence. (Compare figure 28. ) Redrawn
from a rubbing. F. C. B. . . . . -33
30 Italian Renaissance Panel. From Raphael's tomb.
Pantheon, Rome. From a photograph . . •34
31 Italian Renaissance Incised Inscription. From the
Marsuppini Tomb, Santa Croce, Florence, 1455. Rub-
bing 35
32 Italia-n Renaissance Incised Inscription. From a floor-
slab in Santa Croce, Florence. Early 15th Century.
Rubbing . . . . . . . -35
33 Italian Renaissance Capitals. Redrawn from inscrip-
tion on the Marsuppini Tomb, Santa Croce, Florence,
1455. (Compare figure 31.) F. C. B. . . . 36
34 Italian Renaissance Capitals. Redrawn from rubbings
of inscriptions in Santa Croce, Florence. F. C. B. . 37
35 and 36 Italian Renaissance Capitals. By G. A.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix
FIGURE ^ PAGE
Tagliente. From 'La vera arte dello eccellento scrivere.'
(Venice, 1524) 3^-39
37 and 38 German Renaissance Capitals. By Albrecht
Diirer. Adapted from ' Underweyssung der messung,
mit dem zirckel, un richtscheyt, in Linien, etc' (Nurem-
berg, 1525) _ 40-41
39 and 40 Italian Renaissance Capitals. By Sebastian
Serlio. (1473-1554.) Compare figures i and z 42-43
41 German Renaissance Capitals. By Urbain Wyss. From
<Libellus valde doctus . . . scribendarum literarum genera
complectens.' (Zurich, 1549) . . • -44
42 Italian Renaissance Panel. Above the door of the
Badia, Florence. Redrawn by Claude Fayette Bragdon.
From 'Minor Italian Palaces.' (Cutler Manufacturing
Company, Rochester, N.Y., 1898) . . -45
43 Modern Title in Anglo-Saxon Capitals. By Bertram
G. Goodhue. (Compare figure 46. ) From 'The Quest
of Merlin.' (Small, Maynard & Co., Boston, 1891) . 46
44 Modern Title with Characteristics of i6th Century
English Capitals. By Walter Crane. (Compare figure
49.) From 'The Story of Don Quixote.' (John Lane,
New York, 1900) . . . . . .46
45 Title in Early English Capitals. By W. Eden Nes-
field. From ' Specimens of Medieval Architecture.'
(Day & Sons, London, 1862) . . . '47
46 Anglo-Saxon Capitals. 6th Century. From ' The
Rule of St. Benedict.' Bodleian Library, Oxford . 48
47 Anglo-Saxon Capitals. 7th Century. From ' The
Gospels of St. Cuthbert ' ..... 49
48 Anglo-Saxon Capitals. Early loth Century. From
an Anglo-Saxon Bible . . . . . '5°
49 Early English Capitals. i6th Century. From tomb
of Henry vii, Westminster Abbey, London . . -51
50 and 5 I Scheme for the Construction of Roman Small
Letters. F. C. B. . . . . . 54"55
52 Spanish Roman Pen Drawn Letters. By Francisco
Lucas. From 'Arte de Escrevirde.' (Madrid, 1577) . 58
53 Spanish Roman Pen Drawn Letters. Showing use of
above. By Francisco Lucas. From ' Arte de Escrevirde. '
(Madrid, 1577) ....... 5^
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE
PAGE
64
54 Spanish Italic Pen Drawn Letters. By Francisco
Lucas. From 'Arte de Escrevirde.' (Madrid, 1577) 59
55 Spanish Italic Pen Drawn Letters. Showing use of
above. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de Escrevirde.'
(Madrid, 1577) 5g
56 Italian Small Letters. By J. F. Cresci. From 'Per-
fetto Scrittore.' (Rome, 1560) . . . .60
57 English I 7tli Century Letters. Incised in slate. From
tombstones . , . . . , ^ .61
58 Modern Small Letters. After C, Hrachowina's 'Initi-
alen Alphabete und Randleisten verschiedener Kunstepo-
chen.' (Vienna, 1883) . . . . .62
59 Modern Small Letters. By Claude Fayette Bragdon.
Based on Venetian types cut by Nicholas Jenson, 1 471 -81 63
60 Inscription from English 17th Century Tombstone.
From slate tombstone at Chippenham, England. 1691.
F. C. B
61 Roman and Italic Type. Designed by William Caslon
From his Specimen Book. (London, 1734) • • 65
62 Modern Roman Type, "Montaigne." Designed by
Bruce Rogers for The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass. 66
63 Modern Roman Type, "Renner." Designed by Theo.
L. De Vinne for The De Vinne Press, New York . df
64 Modern Roman Type, " Merrymount." Designed
by Bertram G. Goodhue for The Merrymount Press,
Boston, Mass ' . . .68
65 Modern Roman Type, "Cheltenham Old Style."
Designed by Bertram G. Goodhue for The Cheltenham
Press, New York. (Owned by American Type Found-
ers Company and Linotype Company) . . 'JO
66 Modern Greek Type. Designed by Selwyn Image for
The Macmillan Company, London . . . -72
dj Modern Roman Type. Designed by C, R. Ashbee for
a Prayerbook for the King of England . . -73
68 Modern German Capitals. After lettering by J. M.-
Olbrich \ -74
69 Modern German Capitals. By Gustave Lemmen. From
'Beispiele Kunstlerische Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co.,
Vienna) ^ ^ .^^
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi
FIGURE , . PAGE
70 Modern German Capitals. After lettering by Alois
Ludwig . . . . • . • -75
71 Modern German Capitals. After lettering by Otto
Eckmann ........ 7^
72 Modern German Capitals. By Otto Hupp. From
' Beispiele Kunstlerische Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co.,
Vienna) ........ 77
73 Modern German Capitals. By Joseph Plecnik. From
'Beispiele Kunstlerische Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co.,
Vienna) . . . . . . • -7^
74 Modern German Capitals. After lettering by Franz
Stuck ......... 79
75 Modern German Capitals. Arranged from originals.
F. C. B 80
76 Modern German Capitals. After lettering by Bernhard
Pankok . . . . . . . .81
77 Modern French Poster. 'La Libre Esthetique.' By
Theo. van Rysselberghe . . . . . .82
78 Modern French Book-cover. By M. P. Verneuil.
From 'L' Animal dans la decoration.' (E. Levy, Paris) 82
79 Modern French Letters. After lettering by M. P.
Verneuil . . . . . . . -83
80 Modern French Poster. *La Revue Blanche.' By P.
Bonnard ........ 84.
8 I Modern French Magazine Cover Design. By George
Auriol. From 'L'Image.' (Floury, Paris, 1897) . 84
82 Modern French Capitals. By Alphons M. Mucha.
From « Beispiele Kunstlerischer Schrift.' (A. Schroll &
Co., Vienna) ....... 85
83 Modern French Lettered Page in "Cursive." By
George Auriol. From * Le Premier Livre des Cachets,
etc' (Librairie Centrale des Beaux- Arts, Paris, 1 901) . 86
84 Modern French Letters, "Cursive." By George
Auriol . . . . . . • .87
85 Modern French Cover Design. By Eugene Grasset.
From 'Art et Decoration.' (Paris) . . . 88
86 Modern English Capitals. By Walter Crane. From
* Beispiele Kunstlerischer Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co.,
Vienna) . . . . . . . .88
87 Modern English Theatrical Poster. By Walter Crane 89
xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE PAGE
88 Modern English Capitals. By Walter Crane. From
'Alphabets Old and New.' (B. T. Batsford, London,
1899) ........ 90
89 Modern English Letters. By Walter Crane. From
Beispiele Kunsterischer Schrift.' (A. Schroll & Co.,
Vienna) . . . . . . . -9'
90 Modern English Title. By Joseph W. Simpson. From
'The Book of Book-plates.' (Williams & Norgate,
Edinburgh) . . . . . . -91
91 Modern English Poster. By Joseph W. Simpson . 92
92 Modern English Book-cover. By William Nicholson.
From 'London Types.' (R. H. Russell, New York,
1898) ........ 92
93 Modern English Magazine Cover. By Lewis F. Day.
From 'The Art Journal.' (H. Virtue & Co., London) 93
94 Modern English Title. By Gordon Craig. From
' The Page ' (The Sign of the Rose, Hackbridge, Surrey) 93
95 Modern English Capitals. By Lewis F. Day. From
'Alphabets Old and New.' (B. T. Batsford, London
1899) ........ 94
96 Modern English Title Page. By Robert Anning Bell
From 'Poems by John Keats.' (George Bell & Sons
London, 1897) . . . . . . -95
97 Modern English Book-cover. By Edmund H. New
From 'The Natural History of Selborne.' (John Lane
London, 1900) , . . . . . '95
98 Modern English Book-cover. By Selwyn Image
From ' Representative Painters of the 1 9th Century
(Sampson, Low, Marston & Co., London, 1899) . 95
99 Modern English Capitals. Anonymous. From an
advertisement ....... 96
100 Modern English Title. By Charles Ricketts. From
' Nimphidia and the Muses Elizium.' (The Vale Press
London) ........ 96
loi Modern American Title. By Edwin A. Abbev
From ' Selections from the Poetry of Robert Herrick.
(Harper & Brothers, New York, 1899) . , . 97
102 MoD-ERN American Title. Anonymous. From ' Harp-
er's Weekly.' (New York) . . . . -97
99
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii
FIGURE PAGE
103 Modern American Magazine Cover. By Edward
Penfield. From < Harper's Weekly.' (New York) . 97
04 Modern American Capitals. By Edward Penfield . 98
05 Modern American Small Letters. By Edward Pen-
06 Modern American Cover Design. By H. Van Buren
Magonigle . . . . . . . .100
07 Modern American Capitals. By H. Van Buren
Magonigle . . . . . . . .101
08 Modern American Capitals. By Bertram G. Goodhue.
From ' Masters in Art.' (Boston, 1900) . . 102
09 Modern American Title. By Will Bradley. From
'The Book List of" Dodd, Mead & Co.' (New York,
1899) ........ 102
10 Modern American Capitals and Small Letters. By
Will Bradley. From 'Bradley, His Book.' (The
Wayside Press, Springfield, Mass., 1896) . .103
1 1 Modern American Magazine Cover. By Will Brad-
ley. From 'The International Studio.' (New York) 104
12 Modern American Ticket. By A. J. lorio . . 104
1 3 Modern American Capitals. After lettering by Will
Bradley ........ 105
14 Modern American Capitals. By Maxfield Parrish . 106
1 5 Modern American Title. By Maxfield Parrish. From
'Knickerbocker's History of New York.' (R. H.
Russell, New York, 1900) ..... 107
16 Modern American Title. By Addison B. Le Boutillier 107
17 Modern American Capitals. By Addison B. Le
Boutillier . . . . . . . .108
18 Modern American Small Letters. By Addison B.
Le Boutillier .......
19 Modern American Poster. By Addison B. Le
Boutillier . . . . . . . .110
20 Modern American Book-Plate. By Claude Fayette
Bragdon . . . . . . . .110
21 Modern American Title. By Claude Fayette Bragdon.
From ' Literature.' (New York) . . . .111
22 Modern American Letter-heading. By Claude Fay-
ette Bragdon . . . . . . .111
109
xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE
123 Modern American Advertisement. By H. L. Brid-
well. (Strowbridge Lithographic Co., Cincinnati)
124 Modern American Capitals. By H. L. Bridwell
125 Modern American Capitals. By Frank Hazenplug .
126 Modern American Capitals, "Heavy Face." By
Frank Hazenplug .......
127 Modern American Book-cover. By Frank Hazen-
plug. From ''Ickery Ann and other Girls and Boys.'
(Herbert 8. Stone & Co., Chicago, 1899)
128 Modern American Title. By Edward Edwards. From
'Harper's Pictorial History of the War with Spain.'
(Harper & Brothers, New York, 1899) .
129 Modern American Catalogue Cover. By Frank
Hazenplug. From the Catalogue of the Chicago Arts
and Crafts Society. (Chicago) ....
130 Modern American Title. By Guernsey Moore.
From 'The Saturday Evening Post.' (Philadelphia)
I 3 I Modern American Title. By Harry Everett Towns-
end. From 'The Blue Sky.' (Langworthy & Stevens,
Chicago, 1 901)
132 Modern American Heading. By Howard Pyle. From
' Harper's Magazine.' (New York)
133 Modern American Letters. Compiled from various
sources. F. C. B.
134 Modern American Capitals. After lettering by Orson
Lowell ........
135 Modern American Small Letters. F. C. B. .
136 Modern American Titles. By Orson Lowell. From
'Truth.' (New York)
137 Modern American Title;. By Orson Lowell. From
'Truth.' (New York)
138 Modern American Letters. For rapid use. F. C. B.
139 Modern American Italic. For use in lettering archi-
tects' plans, etc. By Claude Fayette Bragdon
140 Modern American Letters, "Cursive." For rapid
use. By Maxfield Parrish .....
141 Italian Round Gothic Small Letters. After Lucan-
tonii Giunta. Redrawn from 'Graduale Sanctae Romanae
Ecclesiae.' (Venice, 1500) .
142 Italian Round Gothic Small Letters. i6thCenturv.
Redrawn from Italian originals ....
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xv
FIGURE _ PAGK
143 Spanish Round Gothic Letters. By Francisco Lucas.
From 'Arte de Escrevirde.' (Madrid, 1577) • • 130
IA.A. German Blackletter Construction. By Albrecht
Diirer. From ' L^nderweyssung der messung, mit dem
zirckel. On richtschevt, in Linien, etc' (Nuremberg,
1525) . . . . . . . .133
145 German Blackletters. Redrawn from manuscripts . 134
146 German Blackletters. With rounded angles. Redrawn
from manuscripts . . . . . . ''35
147 Italian Blackletter Title-page. By Jacopus Piiilip-
pus Foresti (Bergomensis). From * De Claris Mulieri-
bus, etc' ( Ferrara, 1497) . . . . ^37
148 German Blackletter Page. By Albrecht Diirer. From
the Prayerbook designed by him for the Emperor Maxi-
milian. (Nuremberg, 1515) . . • .138
149 German Memorial Brass with Blackletter Inscrip-
tion. Ascribed to Albrecht Diirer. Cathedral of Meis-
sen, I 5 10. From ' Fac-similes of Monumental Brasses
on the Continent of Europe.' (W. F. Creeney, Nor-
wich, 1884) . . . . . . -139
I 50 Modern American Calendar Cover in Blackletter.
By Bertram G. Goodhue. From ' Every Day's Date
Calendar.' (Fleming, Schiller Sc Carnrick, New York,
1897) HI
151 Modern German Blackletters. By Walter Puttner.
From 'Jugend.' (Munich) . . . . .142
152 Modern German Title in Blackletter. By Otto
Hupp. From ' Miinchener Kalendar.' (Munich, 1900) 142
153 Modern American Page in English Blackletter. By
Edwin A. Abbey. From ' Scribner's Magazine.' (New
York) 143
154 LTncial Gothic Initials. Redrawn from 12th Century
examples. F. C. B. . . . . . . 144
155 Uncial Gothic Initials. Redrawn from 13th Century
examples. F. C. B. . . . . . • '45
156 Uncial Gothic Capitals. Redrawn from 14th Century
examples. F. C. B. . . . . . .146
157 Uncial Gothic Capitals. 14th Century. After J.
Weale. Redrawn from * Portfolio of Ancient Capital
Letters.' (London, 1838-9) .... 147
xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURE
o T TT /^ ,-~, PAGE
158 Italian Uncial Gothic Capitals, in the "Papal"
Hand. From a Florentine manuscript of 13 15. Britisli
Museum, London. F. C. B. . . . .148
159 Spanish Uncial Gothic Capitals. By Juan de Yciar.
Adapted from 'Arte per la qual se eseua a escrevir per-
fectamente.' (Saragossa, 1550) .... 149
160 Venetian Wall Panel, of Marble, Inscribed with Uncial
Gothic Letters. 15th Century. From the Church of
S. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice. Rubbing . . .150
161 Venetian Gothic Capitals. I 5th Century. Redrawn
from the rubbing shown in figure 160. F. C. B. .151
162 German Uncial Capitals. 1341. Redrawn from a
memorial brass in the Cathedral of Lubeck . . .152
163 French AND Spanish Gothic Capitals. 14th Century.
After W. S. Weatherley ,5^
164 and 165 Italian Gothic Initials. After G. A. Tag-
liente, in 'La vera arte dello eccellento scrivere.' (Ven-
ice, 1524) ....... I 54-155
166 Italian Gothic Initials, By Giovanni Battista Palatino.
From 'Libro nel qual s'insegna a scrivere.' (Rome,
1548) 156
167, 168 and 169 German Gothic Initials. By P. Frank.
Nuremberg, 1601. From Petzendorfer's ' Schriften-
Atlas.' (Stuttgart, 1889) . . . 157-158-159
170 Italian Gothic Capitals. i6th Century. Redrawn
from old examples . . . . . ,160
171 Gothic Capitals of English Form. i6th Century.
Redrawn from old examples . . . , .161
172 Italian Gothic Capitals. 17th Century. Redrawn
from various examples . . . . . .162
173 German Gothic Capitals. 17th Century. Redrawn
from various manuscripts . , . . .163
174 German Gothic Capitals. From manuscripts . .164
175 German Gothic Capitals. From manuscripts . .165
176 German Gothic Capitals, Heavy Faced . .166
177 English Gothic "Text," Initials and Blackletters.
1 5th Century. From manuscripts . . . .167
178 English Gothic Uncials and Blackletters. 15th
Century. From Queen Eleanor's tomb. F. C. B. .168
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii
179 English Gothic Capitals and Blackletters. r 5th
Century. From tomb ot Richard 11, Westminster Abbey,
London. F. C. B. .
I 80 German Blackletters. From a brass. Redrawn from
a rubbing. F. C. B, .
181 German Blackletters. With Albrecht Diirer's initials.
1 6th Century. F. C. B.
182 Italian Blackletters. By G. A. Tagliente. From
' La vera arte dello eccellento scrivere.' (Venice, i 524)
183 German Blackletters. After lettering by Albrecht
Diirer. i6th Century ......
184 German Blackletters. After lettering by Albrecht
Dijrer. i6th Century ......
185 German Gothic Capitals. By Albrecht Diirer. i6th
Century ........
186 English Gothic Blackletters. Late 15th Century.
Redrawn from a brass. F. C. B. .
187 Italian Inlaid Blackletters. From a marble slab in
Santa Croce, Florence. Redrawn from a rubbing. F. C. B.
188 and 1 89 Modern American Blackletters with Gothic
Capitals. By Bertram G. Goodhue . . 178-
190 Modern German Blackletters. After lettering by
Julius Diez ........
191 Modern German Blackletters, flourished. F.C.B.
192 German Italic. By Gottlieb Miinch. From Ord-
nung der Schrift.' (Munich, 1744)
193 Spanish Script. By Torquato Torio. From 'Arte de
Escribir.' (Madrid, 1802) .....
194 Spanish Scripts. By Torquato Torio. From 'Arte de
Escribir.' (Madrid, 1802) .....
1 95 Spanish Script. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de
Escrevirde.' (Madrid, 1577)
196 Spanish Cursive. By Francisco Lucas. From 'Arte de
Escrevirde.' (Madrid, 1577)
197 Modern American Script Title. By Claude Fayette
Bragdon. From an advertisement ....
298 Modern American Script Title. By George Wharton
Edwards. From 'Collier's Weekly.' (New York) .
I99 French Script Capitals. i8th Century. F. C. B, .
69
70
7'
72
73
74
75
1^
11
19
80
81
83
84
85
86
87
88
88
89
xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGUBE PAGE
200 German Script. i8th Century forms. Adapted from
C. Hrachowina's Tnitialen, Alphabete und Randleisten
verschiedener Kunstepochen.' (Vienna, 1883) . 190
201 Spanish Script Capitals. Early i8th Century.
Adapted from a Spanish Writing-book. F. C. B. . 191
202 Spanish Script Alphabets. Late 17th Century.
Adapted from Spanish Writing-books. F. C. B. .192
203 English Incised Script. Redrawn from inscriptions
in slate and stone in Westminster Abbev, London.
F. C. B ^ . .193
204 Modern American Script Book. Title. By Bruce
Rogers. From cover design of 'The House of the Sev'en
Gables.' (Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1899) . 194
205 Modern American Script. By Bruce Rogers . 195
206 Modern American Script Capitals. After lettering
by Frank Hazenplug . . . . .196
207 Modern American Italic Capitals. F. C. B. . 197
208 Modern American Script Title. Anonymous. From
'Harper's Weekly.' (New York) .' . . 198
209 Modern American Script Title. By Edward Penfield.
From 'Harper's Weekly.' (New York) . .198
210 Diagram to Show Method of Enlarging a Panel,
from upper left corner ..... 204
211 Diagram TO Show^ Method of Enlarging a Panel,
from perpendicular center line .... 205
End Papers. From an embroidered Altar-cloth. 17th Cen--
tury. Church of St. Mary, Soest, Westphalia, Germany.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. ROMAN CAPITALS . i
II. MODERN ROMAN LETTERS .... 52
III. GOTHIC LETTERS 127
IV. ITALIC AND SCRIPT 182
V. TO THE BEGINNER 199
CHAPTER I
ROMAN CAPITALS
In speaking of the " Roman " letter throughout this chapter
its capital form — the form in monumental use among the
Romans — will always be implied. The small or "minus-
cule" letters, which present nomenclature includes under
the general title of " Roman " letters, and which will be
considered in the following chapter, were of later formation
than the capitals ; and indeed only attained their definitive
and modern form after the invention of printing from mov-
able types.
The first point to be observed in regard to the general
form of the Roman capital is its characteristic squareness.
Although the letter as used to-day varies somewhat in pro-
portions from its classic prototype, its skeleton is still based
on the square.
Next to this typical squareness of outline, the observer
should note that the Roman letter is composed of thick and
thin lines. At first sight it may seem that no systematic
rules determine which of these lines should be thick and
which thin ; but closer investigation will discover that the
alternate widths of line were evolved quite methodicallyj
and that they exactly fulfil the functions of making the
letters both more legible and more decorative. Arbitrary
rearrangements of these thick and thin lines, differing from
the arrangement of them in the classic examples, have.
2 ROMAN CAPITALS
indeed, been often attempted ; but such rearrangements
have never resulted in improvement, and, except in eccen-
tric lettering, have fallen into complete disuse.
The original thickenina; and thinning- of the lines of the
classic Roman capitals was partly due to the imitation in
stone inscriptions of the letter forms as they were written on
parchment with the pen. The early Latin scribes held their
stiff-nibbed reed pens almost directly upright and at right
angles to the writing- surface, so that a down stroke from left
to right and slanted at an angle of about forty-five degrees
would bring the nib across the surface broadwise, resulting
in the widest line possible to the pen. On the other hand,
a stroke drawn at right angles to this, the pen being still
held upright, would be made with the thin edge of the nib,
and would result in the narrowest possible line. From
this method of handling the pen the variations of line width
in the standard Roman forms arose ; and we may therefore
deduce three logical rules, based upon pen use, which will
determine the proper distribution of the thick and thin lines :
I, Never accent horizontal lints, ii. Always accent the
sloping down strokes which run from left to right, includ-
ing the so-called " swash " lines, or flying tails, of Q^and R ;
but never weight those which, contrariwise, slope up from
left to right, with a single exception in the case of the letter
z, in which, if rule i be followed, the sloping line (in this
case made with a down stroke) will be the only one possible
to accent, iii. Always accent the directly perpendicular
lines, except in the N, where tuese lines seem originally to
have been made with an up stroke of the pen ; and the first
line of the M, where the perpendiculars originally sloped in
towards the top of the letter (see 2). On the round letters
ROMAN CAPITALS 3
the accents should occur at the sides of the circle, as
virtually provided in rule iii, or on the upper right and
lower left quarters (see 1-2), where in pen-drawn letters the
accent of the down sloping stroke would naturally occur,
as virtually determined in rule 11.
The "serif" — a cross-stroke or tick — finishes the free
ends of all lines used in making a Roman capital. The
value of the serif in stone-cut letters seems obvious. To
define the end of a free line a sharp cut was made across it
with the chisel, and as the chisel was usually wider than
the thin line this cut extended bevond it. Serifs were
added to the ends of the thick lines either for the sake of
uniformitv, or may have been suggested by the chisel-
marked guide lines themselves. Indeed in late stone-cut
Roman work the scratched guide lines along the top and
bottom of each line of the inscription are distinctly marked
and merge into the serifs, which extend farther than in
earlier examples. The serif was adopted in pen letters
probably from the same reasons that caused it to be added
to the stone-cut letters, namely, that it definitely finished
the free lines and enhanced the general squareness and
finish of the letter's aspect.
An excellent model for constructing the Roman capitals
in a standard form will be found in the beautiful adaptation
by Mr. A. R. Ross, i and 2, from an alphabet of capitals
drawn by Sebastian Serlio, an Italian architect, engraver and
painter of the sixteenth century, who devised some of the
most refined variants of the classic Roman letter. Serlio's
original forms, which are shown in 39 and 40, were
intended for pen or printed use ; but in altering Serlio's
scheme of proportions it will be observed that Mr. Ross
4
ROMAN CAPITALS
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1. ALPHABET AFTER SERLIG RECONSTRUCTED BY ALBERT R. ROSS
ROMAN CAPITALS
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2. ALPHABET AFTER SERLIO RECONSTRUCTED BY ALBERT R. ROSS
6 ROMAN CAPITALS
has partially adapted the letter for use in stone, and has
further varied it in details, notably in serif treatment. In
most modern stone-cut letters, however, the thin strokes
would be made even wider than in this example, as in 14.
Mr. Ross's adaptation shows excellently how far the classic
letters do or do not fill out the theoretical square.
Width proportions, which may be found useful in laying
out lettering for lines of a given length, are shown in 3 in
a more modern style of the Roman capital. In the classic
Roman letter the cross-bar is usually in the exact center of
the letter height, but in 3 the center line has been used as
the bottom of the cross-bar in B, E, H, P, and R, and as the
top of the cross-bar in a ; and in letters like K, v and x the
*' waist lines," as the meeting points of the sloping lines are
sometimes called, have been slightly raised to obtain a
more pleasant effect.
The Roman alphabet, although the one most in use, is
unfortunately -the most difficult to compose into words
artistically, as the spacing between the letters plays a great
share in the result. The effect of even color over a whole
panel is obtained by keeping as nearly as possible the same
area of white between each letter and its neighbor: but the
shape of this area will be determined in every case by the
letters which happen to be juxtaposed. Individual letters
may, however, be widened or condensed to help fill an
awkward "hole" in a line of lettering; — the lower lobe
of the B may be extended, the center bar of the E pulled
out (in which case the F should be made to correspond),
the lower slant stroke of the K may be used as a swash
tail, and the R may have its tail extended or drawn closely
back against the upright line, and so on. Indeed, each and
ROMAN CAPITALS
PRDPORTIONAL WDTH • JPACINQ OF
MODERN -ROMAN CAPITAL- LETTER/-
3. WIDTH PROPORTIONS OF MODERN ROMAN CAPITALS F. C. B.
8 ROMAN CAPITALS
every letter of the alphabet is susceptible to such similar
modifications in shape as may make it best suit the space
left for it by its neighbors. Observe, for example, the
spacing of the word meritae in 34, and notice how the
tail of the R is lengthened to hold off the i because the T
on the other side is perforce held away by its top. In the
page of capitals, 124, by Mr. Bridwell, see also how the
different spacing of the word French in the first and second
lines is managed. In the advertisement, 123, also by Mr.
Bridwell, note how the letters are spaced close or wide in
order to produce a definite effect. The whole problem of
spacing is, however, one of such subtle interrelation and
composition, that it can only be satisfactorily solved by
the artistic sense of the designer. Any rules which might
be here formulated would prove more often a drawback
than a help.
Certain optical illusions of some of the Roman letter
forms should be briefly mentioned. These illusions are
caused by the failure of certain letters to impinge squarely
with determining serifs against the demarking top and bot-
tom guide lines. The round letters c, g, o and q^ often
seem to be shorter and smaller than the other characters
in a word unless the outsides of their curves run both
above and below the guide lines. For the same reason s
should be sometimes slightly increased in height, though in
this case the narrowness of the letter makes less increase
necessary; and j, on account of its kern, is governed by the
same conditions as s, save when letters with distinct serifs
come closely against it at the bottom. Theoretically the
right side of d would require similar treatment, but actually
this is seldom found necessary. The pointed ends of
ROMAN CAPITALS 9
the letters v and \v should, for similar optical reasons,
be extended slightly below the bottom guide lines, the
amount of this extension being determined by the letters
on each side of them. In the a, the Roman letterer at
first got over the optical difficulty caused by its pointed top
by running this letter also higher than its neighbors; but
he later solved the problem by shaping its apex as shown
in I, thus apparently getting the letter into line with its
companions while still obtaining a sufficient width of top.
to satisfy the eye. Because of its narrowness, i should
generally be allowed more proportionate white space on
either side of it than the wider letters.
Some idea of the proportionate variations required to
counteract the optical illusions of the letters above named
may be obtained from the practice of type-founders. In
making the designs for a fount of type, it has been customary
to first draw each letter at a very large size. Taking an
arbitrary height of twelve inches as a standard, the points
of A and V were made to extend about three-quarters of an
inch above or below the guides, the letter o was run over
about half an inch at both top and bottom, and the points
of the w were made to project about the same distance. In
pen lettering, however, it is possible and preferable to
adapt each letter more perfectly to its individual surround-
ings by judgment of the eye than to rely upon any hard
and fast rules.
Certain variations between the stone-cut forms of the
Roman letters and their forms as drawn or printed should
be understood before an intelligent adaptation of stone
forms to drawn forms, or the opposite, is possible. When
drawn or printed a character is seen in black against a
10
ROMAN CAPITALS
white ground with no iUusory alterations of its line widths
caused by varying shadows. In stone-cut letters, on the
other hand, where the shadows rather than the outlines
themselves reveal the forms, different limitations govern
the problem. The thin lines of a letter to be v-sunk
.^.
..ILiL
4. DRAWING FOR INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS IN GRANITE F.C.B
should generally be made slightly thicker in proportion to
the wide lines than is the case with the pen-drawn letter^
especially as the section is likely to be less deeply and
sharply cut nowadays than in the ancient examples, for the
workmanship of to-day seems to be less perfect and the
materials used more friable. A slight direct sinkage before
beginning to cut the v-sunk section is a useful method of
ROMAN CAPITALS 11
partially atoning for modern shallow cutting, as shadows
more directly defining the outlines are thus obtained. The
student should, howe\er, be warned at the outset that all
5. PHOTOGRAPH FROM INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS SHOWN IN 4
reproductions or tracings from rubbings of ancient stone-cut
letters are apt to be more or less deceptive, as all the acci-
dental variations of the outlines are exaggerated, and where
the stone of the original has been chipped or worn away
it appears in the reproduction as though the letter had
been actually so cut.
The photograph of a panel of lettering from the upper
part of the Arch of Constantine, Rome, shown in 6, well
indicates the effect of shadows in defining the classic Roman
letters ; and the eff^ect of shadows on an incised letter may be
clearly observed by comparing 4 and 5, the former show-
ing a drawing for an inscription in which the Serlio-Ross
c
Pi
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ROMAN CAPITALS
13
7. MODEL FOR INCISED ROMAN CAPITALS. MCKIM, MEAD & WHITE
14
ROMAN CAPITALS
alphabet was used as a basis for the letter forms, and the
latter being a photograph of the same inscription, as cut in
granite. It will be noted how much narrower the thin
, ,-, -
8. ROMAN INCISED CAPITALS
FROM A RUBBING
lines appear when defined only by shadow than in the
drawing. The model used for the lettering on the frieze of
the Boston Public Library, 7, which shows some interest-
ing modern forms intended for cutting in granite, should be
studied for the effect of the cast shadows; while 14, a
redrawing of inscriptions on the Harvard Architectural
Building, Cambridge, Mass., exhibits an excellent type of
letter with widened thin lines for v-cutting in sandstone.
The special requirements of the stone-cut forms for either
incised or raised inscriptions are, however, quite apart from
the subject of this book, and are too various to be taken up
in greater detail here. It is important, nevertheless, that
the designer should be reminded always to make allowance
for the material in which a letter was originally executed.
Otherwise, if exactly copied in other materials, he may find
the result annoyingly unsatistactory.
ROMAN CAPITALS 15
The examples of letters taken from Roman and Renais-
sance Italian monuments, shown in the pages of this
chapter, will illustrate the variety of individual letter forms
WA-rTIO-L<IMJ10N
fi
, TATJ
xONO
AWHAFA-
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t
CO'^:C
JMAt •
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.v'i-APOlT-F
■Y^
AilgiTR-LAET
E:T-ATTlCi r
p.
9. ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION BOLOGNA
used by the Classic and Renaissance designers. The
shape of the same letter will often be found to vary in
the same inscription and even in apparently analogous
• :treb!\':lflgncvs'
VETEKANVS'tOHOflllS '
'SECVNDAf-rRAETCM/^ ;:
10. ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION BOLOGNA
cases. The designers evidently had in mind more than
the directly adjacent words, and sometimes even considered
16
ROMAN CAPITALS
the relation of their lettering to objects outside the panel
altogether. This is especially true in the work of the
Italian Renaissance, which is almost invariably admirable
in both composition and arrangement.
U. DETAIL FROM A ROMAN INCISED INSCRIPTION F.C.B.
Figures 8 to 2 2 show examples, drawn from various
sources, which exhibit different treatments of the classic
Roman letter forms. The differentiation will be found to
lABMlfMIKVllAi©
SflMlEDfMMNmia
12. ROMAN CAPITALS OF PEN FORMS CUT IN STONE F.C.B.
lie largely in the widths of the letters themselves, and in the
treatment of the serifs, angles, and varying widths of line,
p'igures ii to 13 and 16 to 2 2 are redrawn from rubbings
ROMAN CAPITALS 17
of Roman incised inscriptions. Figures i6 and 17 show
beautifully proportioned letters cut in marble with unusual
care and refinement, considering the large size of the orig-
inals. A later Roman form of less refinement but of greater
13. ROMAN CAPITALS FROM INSCRIPTIONS FROM RUBBINGS. F.C.B.
Strength and carrying power, and for that reason better
adapted to many modern uses, is shown in 18 and 19.
In this case the original letters were cut about seven and
<
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pa
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H
O
W
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o
z
z
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C/3
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Pi
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O
o
u
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H
W
20
ROMAN CAPITALS
16. CLASSIC CAPITALS CUT IN MARBLE ROMAN FORUM. F.C.B.
ROMAN CAPITALS 21
17. CLASSIC CAPITALS CUT IN MARBI.K ROMAN FORUM. F. C. B
22 ROMAN CAPITALS
18. CLASSIC CAPITALS CUT IN MARBLE FROM RUBBINGS. F.C.B.
ROMAN CAPITALS
1
23
19. CLASSIC CAPITALS CUT IN MARBLE FROM RUBBINGS. F.C.B.
'J
►J
as
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2
2:
o
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5
u
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uo^U^
ROMAN CAPITALS 27
one-half inches high. The letters in 20 are curiously
modern in character. Part of the panel of Roman letter-
ing shown in 2 i exhibits the use of a form very like that
shown in i8 and 19. Figure 11 shows a detail composed
in a quite representative fashion; while on the other hand
figure I 2 depicts a Roman letter of quite unusual character,
and of a form evidently adapted from pen work, in which
the shapes are narrow and crowded, while the lines are
thickened as though they were of the classical square out-
line. The bits of old Roman inscriptions shown in 8 to 10
and in 13 are included to exhibit various different forms
and treatments of classic capitals.
After the fall of Rome and during the Dark Ages the
practice of lettering, at least in so far as the Roman form
was concerned, was distinctly retrograde. With the ad\'ent
of the Renaissance, however, the purest classic forms were
revived; and indeed the Italian Renaissance seems to have
been the golden age of lettering. With the old Roman
fragments of the best period constantly before their eyes
the Renaissance artists of Italy seem to ha\e grasped the
true spirit of classicism ; and their work somehow acquired
a refinement and delicacy lacking in even the best of the
Roman examples. As much of the Italian Renaissance
lettering was intended for use on tombs or monuments
where it might be seen at close range, and was cut in fine
marble, the increased refinement may be due, at least in
part, to different conditions.
The panel from Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon, Rome,
30, shows a beautiful and pure form of typical Renaissance
letter; and the composition of the panel is as well worthy
26 ROMAN CAPITALS
of careful study as are the letter forms. Figure 34, devised
from a tomb in Santa Croce, portrays a letter not only
beautiful in itself, but one which, with two minor changes
(for the top bar of the T might advantageously be shortened
^:\WRV^PRiN(:t:'"
23. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE INSCRIPTION IN MARBLE
to allow its neighbors to set closer, and the M might be
iinished at the top with a serif, after the usual fashion), is
exactly applicable to the purposes of the modern draughts-
man. This type of letter appears to best advantage when
used in such panel forms as those shown in the rubbing
from the Marsuppini tomb, 31, and in the floor slab from
the same church, 32. Two very refined examples, 28 and
29, also from slabs in Santa Croce, Florence, date from
about the same period. The latter exhibits the alphabet
itself, and the former shows a similar letter form as actually
used. The letters in 33, redrawn from rubbings from the
Marsuppini tomb, are shown for comparison with the rub-
bing itself, which is reproduced in smaller size in 31.
Taken together, plates 30, 31 and 32 will fairly represent
not only the usual fashion of composing Renaissance panels,
but capital forms which illustrate some of the most excellent
work of this period.
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30
ROMAN CAPITALS
A very different and interesting type of letter was used on
many of the best medals of the Italian Renaissance (see 24),
which has been recently adapted and employed by modern
medal designers in France, as exhibited in figure 25.
Although absolutely plain, it is, when properly composed,
much more effective in the service for which it was intended
2G. CAPITALS ADAPTED FROM RENAISSANCE MEDALS F. C. B.
than a more elaborate and fussy form; and although
sometimes adapted with good results to other uses, it is
particularly appropriate for casting in metal. Similar forms
rendered in pen and ink are shown in 26.
Figures 27, and 35 to 41 show various pen or printed
forms of capital letters redrawn from the handiwork of
Renaissance masters. The capital letters shown in 27 are
unusually beautiful, and their -purity of form is well dis-
ROMAN CAPITALS
31
played in the outline treatment. Perhaps the best known
standard example of a Renaissance pen-drawn letter is that
by Tagliente, reproduced in 35 and 36. In spite of their
familiarity it has seemed impossible to omit the set of capi-
ini
TT TT
IL
L^
rr
qrftxyz
27. SPANISH RENAISSANCE ALPHABET JUAN DeYCIAR, 1550
tals, with variants, by Albrecht Diirer, 37 and 38; for
Durer's letters were taken as a basis by nearly all such
Renaissance designers of lettering as Geoffrey Tory, Leon-
ardo da Vinci, etc. It should be observed in the Diirer
32
ROMAN CAPITALS
alphabet that among the variant forms of individual letters
shown, one is usually intended for monumental use, while
another exhibits pen treatment in the characteristic swelling
of the round letters etc.
28. RENAISSANCE INLAID MEDALLION FROM A RUBBING. F.C. B.
Serlio's alphabet, 39 and 40, should be compared with
Mr. Ross's modification of it, reproduced in i and 2. The
alphabet shown in 41 is a somewhat expanded form of
classic capital, contrasting markedly in various respects with
more typical forms.
ROMAN CAPITALS 33
ALZONE
BCDEFG
HIKLMPR
STQ/EY
FILIPPOX
29. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS SANTA CROCE. F. C. B.
c
IZ
O
Pi
K
H
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CO
c
H
w
w
S
c
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36 ROMAN CAPITALS
ITALIAN BJE
NAISSANCE
LETTERING
ABCDEFGH
URLMNOP
QB^STUW
VXY POLVS
QYE ERAT Z
33. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS MARSUPPINI TOMB. F.C. B.
ROMAN CAPITALS 37
ITALIAN
LETTERS
MEB.1T\£
ABCDEFG
HIJKLMN
OPQR5TU
VZWXY
34. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS FROM RUBBINGS. F. C. B.
38
ROMAN CAPITALS
35. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS G. A.TAGLIENTE, 1.VJ4
ROMAN CAPITALS
39
36. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS G. A. TAGLIENTE, 1524
40 ROMAN CAPITALS
AABBB
CCCDD
DEETG
GHIKK
KLLMM
37. GERMAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS ALBRECHT PURER, 1525
ROMAN CAPITALS 41
NNNO
PPPRR
QQ^SS
TTTVX
38. GERMAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS ALBRECHT PURER. 1525
42 ROMAN CAPITALS
ABC
G H
NOP
TVW
M. ITALIAN REXAISSAXCE CAPITALS SERLIO, 16th CENTURY
ROMAN CAPITALS 43
DEF
KLM
QRS
XYZ
40. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS SERLIO, 16th CENTURY
44
ROMAN CAPITALS
A:B"oC!D
ERgK
:vC« M« ^^^^ x--xO-*- > li < -^^S<>^><^ H* >
CK
[X Y^ZH
41. GERMAN RENAISSANCE CAPITALS URBAIN WVSS. ICth CENTURY
ROMAN CAPITALS
45
A practically unlimited number of other examples might
have been included to show various capital forms of Renais-
sance letters ; but the specimens chosen will adequately
illustrate all the more distinctive and refined types of the
individual letters.
Before, during and after the Renaissance movement many
local and extraneous influences temporarily modified the
forms of the Roman letters. There are, for instance,
numerous examples of lettering in which Byzantine and
Romanesque traits are strongly apparent, such as the free
manipulation of the letter forms in order to make them fit
into given lines and spaces. The drawing of the panel o\'er
the doorway of the Badia, Florence, 42, notable for the char-
acteristic placing and composition of the letters, will serve as
a case in point. This example is further interesting because
it shows how the Uncial form of the letter was beginning to
react and find a use in stone — a state of affairs which at
m^Mmmmii'MAm 'Uk^Mimm
m -l'','?§^s=7«@.?OMlAQUE|^mf^^$^_CVM51ABIliS^^2^ '-^
' ^ mORANT|#^»DORANDV^
ftTiTiSCREII)»^M^EMITW51
, fQVlMOC^^^WQVlDHAB'
^■;RETiS?ELEM,v|^^p, ^SADVERSd'
42. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE PANEL, FLORENCE C. F. BRAGDON
first glance might seem anomalous, for the Uncial letter was
distinctly a pen-drawn form ; but it was discovered that
its rounder forms made it particularly useful for inscribing
stones which were likely to chip or sliver, in carving which
it was consequently desirable to avoid too acute angles.
The Roman letter underwent various salient modifications
46
ROMAN CAPITALS
at the hands of the scribes of extra-Italian nations. We
find very crude variants of the Roman letter, dating hun-
dreds of years after the Roman form had reached its highest
1 1^1—
RICBARDBOYEY
43. MODERN TITLE (Compare -IG)
B. G. GOODHUE
development ; and, on the other hand, some very beautiful
and individual national variants were produced. The con-
tinual interchange of manuscripts among the nations on the
continent of Europe probably explains the more conven-
tional character and strong general resemblance of most of
the early Continental work ; but the scribes of insular Eng-
land, less influenced by contemporary progress and exam-
ples, produced forms of greater individuality (see 46, 47,
44. MODERN TITLE (Compare 49)
WALTER CRANE
48). In Ireland, letter forms originally derived from early
Roman models were developed through many decades with
no ulterior influences, and resulted in some wonderfully
distinctive and beautiful variations of the Roman letters.
ROMAN CAPITALS 47
though the beauty of these Irish examples can only be
faintly suggested by reproductions limited to black and
white, and without the decorations of the originals.
Figures 43 and 44 illustrate, respectively, modern employ-
ments of such strongly characteristic letters as those shown
HRcniTecTURe
chieFLY:seLecTeo
FROM:eXKMPLeS
OF:The:i2rKND:i5^
ceNTURies:iN:
FR7KNCe:3d:iTOLY
MNo: orrwn:by
weoeN'.NesFiGLD
ARCMTeCT?LONO0ri
45. TITLE IN EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS W. E. NESFIELD
in 46 and 49. From these ancient examples the designers
have evolved letters suitable to the character of their work.
In 44 Mr. Crane has engrafted upon a form quite per-
sonal to himself a characteristic detail of treatment borrowed
from the letter shown in 49. Figure 45 shows a similar
and modernized employment of a standard form_ of Uncial
capital.
48 ROMAN CAPITALS
^^BCCh
i La3Kijij o
PQRS
pUTVlf
40. AXGLO-SAXOX CAPITALS cth CENTURY
ROMAN CAPITALS 49
ISBhECD
iJHLmmw
YYWXM
47. ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS 7th CENTURY
50 ROMAN CAPITALS
A?\^BB(i:
CDOGFE
gfpIoHIiJK
LCDMNN
♦PQPRST
48. ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALS EARLY 10th CENTURY
ROMAN CAPITALS 51
•»»• \^>/ •A* «A* «A» «A» «A*
ORSTU
ViHXFZ
49. EARLY ENGLISH CAPITALS 16th CENTURY
CHAPTER II
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
The small or " minuscule " letter that we now use in all
printed books attained its modern and definitive form only
after the invention of printing. The first printed books
were made to imitate, as closely as possible, the hand-
written work of the scribes of the early fifteenth century, and
as printing was first done in Germany, the earliest book types
were those modeled upon German scripts, somewhat similar
to that shown in 141, and their condensed or blackletter
variants. The Italian printers, of a more classical taste,
found the German types somewhat black and clumsy; for
though Gothic characters were also used in Italy, they had
become lighter and more refined there. The Italians,
therefore, evolved a new form of type letter, based upon
the Italian pen letters then in use, which though fundamen-
tally Gothic in form had been refined by amalgamation with
an earlier letter known as the " Caroline," from its origin
under the direction of Charlemagne. The " Caroline "
was in its turn an imitation of the Roman " Half-uncial."
The close relationship of the first small type letter forms
in Italy with the current writing hand of the best Italian
scribes is well indicated by the legend that the " Italic," or
sloped small letter, was taken directly from the handwriting
of Petrarch. The new Italian types, in which classic cap-
itals were combined with the newly evolved minuscule
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 53
letters, were called " Roman " from the city of their origin,
and sprang into almost immediate popularity, spreading
from Italy into England, France and Spain. In Germany,
on the other hand, the national blackletter form persisted,
and is still in use to-day.
The minuscule " Roman " letters thus evolved were
developed to their most perfect individual forms by the
master-printers of Venice; and it is to the models which
they produced that we must revert to-day when we attempt
to devise or reproduce an elegant small letter of any con-
servative form. The modern pen draughtsman should bear
in mind, however, that, perfect as such forms of letters may
be for the uses of the printer, the limitations of tvpe have
necessarilv curtailed the freedom and varietv of their serif
and swash lines, and that therefore, though accepting their
basic forms, he need not be cramped by their restrictions,
nor imitate the unalterable and sometimes awkwardly inar-
tistic relations of letter to letter for which he finds precedents
in the printed page. Indeed, the same general rules for
spacing and the same freedom in the treatment of the serifs,
kerns and swash lines are quite as applicable to pen-drawn
small letters as to the capital forms. The only true path of
progress lies in this freedom of treatment ; and if the same
fertile artists of the Renaissance who have bequeathed to us
such beautiful examples of their unfettered use of the capital
had used the minuscule also, we should undoubtedly possess
small letters of far more graceful and adaptable forms than
those which we now have.
In 50 and 51 may be found an attempt to formulate a
scheme to assist in the reconstruction of an alphabet of
Roman small letters, after somewhat the same fashion as
6
Pi
o
U
1^
Pi
H
Iz;
o
o
w
K
Pi
O
W
IE
u
S
U
(14
12;
12;
C
H
U
«
t-l
(/;
O
o
X
o
w
w
u
56 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
that devised for the Roman capitals by Mr. Ross, in i and 2.
A small-letter diagram must, for obvious reasons, be less
exact and detailed than one for the more defined capital
form ; but the diagram given will serve to determine suffi-
ciently the main outlines and proportions. In their shapes
the letters shown in 50 and 51 adhere fairly closely to the
best type forms of the small letter; and the drawing will
serve, further, to show the space generally allowed bv
modern founders between one lower-case letter and another
when set into type words. This spacing is based on the m
of the fount employed. The open space between all but
k, w and y (in which the outlines of the letters themselves
hold them further away from their neighbors) and the
round letters being the space between the upright strokes
of the m ; an interval represented in the diagram by a
square and a half. The round letters, as has already been
said in speaking of the capital forms, should be spaced
nearer together; and it will be observed that they are only
separated by one square in the diagram. Although sugges-
tive, the rules which govern the spacing of types are not
to be blindly followed by the pen letterer. In type, for
instance, it would be impossible, for mechanical reasons, to
allow the kerns of the f, j and y to project far over the body
of the next letter, and in these letters the kerns conse-
quently have either to be restrained or the letters spaced
farther apart. In pen lettering, however, the designer is not
restrained by such limitations, and his spacing of letters
should be governed solely by the effect.
The disposition of the accented lines in the small letters
follow the same general rules that govern those of the capi-
tals (see page 2); the only deviation being in the case of
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 57
the g, in which the shading of the bottom seems to have
been determined largely by the effect upon the eye.
It will be noticed in the diagram that the " ascenders " of
the smaller letters rise about three squares to their extreme
top points above the body of the letter; that the bodv of
each letter is inclosed in a square that is three units high,
and that the " descenders " fall but two squares below the
letter body. These proportions are not by any means
in\'ariable, however, and indeed there is no fixed rule by
which the proportions of ascenders and descenders to the
body of the Roman minuscule may be determined. In
some forms of the letter both are of the same leng-th, and
sometimes that length is the same as the body height of
the letter. In general a better result is obtained by
making both ascenders and descenders of less than the
length of the body, and keeping the descenders shorter
than the ascenders in about the proportion of two-fifths
to three-fifths.
Parallel lines of small letters cannot be spaced closer to
each other than the ascenders and descenders will allow;
the projections above and below the line are awkward, and
interrupt the definite lines of demarkation at the top and
bottom of the letter-bodies; the capitals necessarily used in
connection with the small letters add to the irregularity of
the line — all of which reasons combine to limit the employ-
ment of minuscule for formal or monumental uses. On
the other hand, the small letter form is excellently adapted
for the printed page, where the occasional capitals but tend
to break the monotony, while the ascenders and descend-
ers strongly characterize and increase the legibility of the
letter forms.
58
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
AaabbccddeefffTgghhiijll m
m n n o o pp q q rr f f fTs s ft tt ft v v-
abcdefghil:
mn o p q_ils t v-
(T-^ : X Y z z. : v^^
Letra antigua que efcreuia FninLu-
cas en Madrid. Ano dc.m.d.lxxvii.
012. SPANISH ROMAN LETTERS
FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
PEN DRAWN
TE D EV M LA VDA-
mus:tc Dominum con fi tem u r.Tc a:-
ternum patrem omnis terra vcncra-
tur.Tlbi omnes angeli,tibi cali^^ovni-
ucrlkpoteftates.Tibi Cherubim &Sc-
raphim^ in ceflabili voce proclamant,
Sandus, Sanftus, Sandus Dominus
Deus Sabaoth. Pleni fiint ca^li&ter-
ramaieiktis gloria tua Te ^oriofus
53. SPANISH ROMAN LETTERS
FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
PEN DRAWN
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
59
<iAaa hhccdd i^effgghh iijllmmnnoop
^ (^^rrJfJlJffiss^'V'Vvuux'xyyZZ^J^--
GJfH ITJJL^lKcM M ^
TV OH" P ^QJiJLSS'
TT^vxxyrzz &^
Letra del^njh quecfcreuia Tran^ Imcjs ^n-
£Kadnd.cAm ^e. cM . H). LXXVIL
D4. SPANISH ITALIC LETTERS
FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
PEN DRAWN
IjVT ItiN CI P I O E-
ratycrbum, Qf'verhum cratapidDcum,&
2)cus cratverhum Hoc erat inpincipioci-
pud Detim: Omntdperipfwnjaftajiint
&Jlne jffoja^um eft nihil. Qupdjaitum
eft in ipfoyita erat. &vita erat hixhomi-
num. &lux in tenchris luat. &tenchrc e-
am non comprehcndcrunt Tuithomo i
miffusa Tco cui nomen erat loanncs.S
55. SPANISH ITALIC LETTERS
FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
PEN DRAWN
60 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Aabcd
efgbijk
Imnop
qrstuw
vxyz
•56. ITALIAN SMALL LETTERS J. F. CRESCI, 15C0
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS Gl
ABCDEFG
hHjKLMNM
NpPQQRI\
SVTWXYZ
<4
Adbcde^Kijkl
Vimoparstv)vxy
57. ENGLISH 17th CENTURY INCISED LETTERS FROM TOMBSTONES
62 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
abcdef
nopqsL
ruvxwy
08. MODERN SMALL LETTERS AFTER HRACHOWINA
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 63
Venetian
Alphabet
abcdefohi
jklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
59. MODERN SMALL LETTERS CLAUDE FAYETTE BRAGDON
64 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Figures 52 to 59 show several forms of small letter
alphabets; those shown in 52 to 56 being taken from
" Writing books " by Spanish and Italian writing masters.
These writing masters often chose to show their skill by imi-
tating type forms of letters with the pen, but though similar
in the individual forms of the letters the written examples
exhibit a freedom and harmony in composition impossible
for type to equal, and therefore are immeasurably more
interesting to the modern penman. Figure 61 illustrates a
type form of minuscule which may be commended for
study. Other examples of small
H^re lyetK tfie Body of 1^"^^^ by modern designers will
Khzdheih^%>'\ie o^fudwrd be found in 105, no, 118 and
Lone" of mt5 pansh Gent u *u j
^o^diecl £Ke22ofOc^ ^Si, where they are used ni
Anno DomiJ 6 <^J connection with their capital
forms.
CO. INSCRIPTION FROM ENGLISH
SLATE TOMBSTONES, 1G91. F.c.B. The mlnusculc alphabet by
Mr. Claude Fayette Bragdon,
59, is a carefully worked-out form which in its lines closely
follows a type face devised by Jenson, the celebrated Vene-
tian printer who flourished toward the end of the sixteenth
centurv. This example together with those shown in 50, 5 1
and 56 exhibits some conservative variations of the standard
models for minuscule letters ; and the same may be said of
the modern type faces shown in 62, 63 and 64. The various
other examples of the small-letter forms illustrated evidence
how original and interesting modifications of conservative
shapes may be evolved without appreciable loss of legibility.
Figure 61 shows the capital, small letter and italic forms
of a type based on old Venetian models, cut by William
Caslon in the early part of the eighteenth century, and ever
•2 i i :£
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C^ :-^ ^ 5-H
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-^ .^ M-i ^
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ffi JU
'-i ^ 5§
la "-3 s»
tin 5 ~§ -.S S
^
•iJ ;:$ ^ ^ r5
GG MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
DANTE IS WELCOMED BY HIS
ANCESTOR,CACCIAGUIDA. CAO
CIAGUIDA TELLS OF HIS FAM^
ILY AND OF THE SIMPLE LIFE
OF FLORENCE IN OLD DAYS.
CANTO XV.
BENIGN will, wherein the
love which righteously in^
spires always manifests itself, '
as cupidity does in the evil
will, imposed silence on that
sweet lyre, & quieted the holy strings which
the right hand of heaven slackens &; draws
tight. How unto just petitions shall those
substances be deaf, who, in order to give me
wish to pray unto them, were concordant in
silence? Well is it that he endlessly should
grieve who, for the love of thing which en^
dures not eternally, despoils him of that love.
As, through the tranquil and pure evening
skies, a sudden fire shoots from time to time,
moving the eyes which were at rest & with
62. MODERN ROMAN TYPE "MONTAIGNE" BRUCE ROGERS
» MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 67
ENGLISH PREFACE TO ROBERT STEPHENS
APOLOGIE FOR HERODOTUS
ToTHE RIGHT HONORABLE LORDS
WILLIAM, EARLE OF PEMBROKE
PHILIP,EARLEOFMONTGOMERIE
Our 'Patrons of Learning & Patterns of Honor
Ight noble Lords : Laertius tell-
eth vs, that in old time there
were but feuen wife men to be
found in the world : but now it
feemes there are hardly feuen
ignorant. For a man can no
fooner fet faire marke, but euery bungler will
out with a bolt (as though he could cornicum
oculos configere)^ and like Roman Cenfor will
giue his cenfure, though often no more to the
purpofe than Magnificat ior Matins^ as it is in
the French prouerb. We are now fallen into
that criticall age wherein Cenfores liberorum
are become CENSORES LIBRORUM ; Lectores^
LICTORES : and euery man's works and writ-
ings, (both prime inuentions and fecond-hand
tranflations) are arraigned at the tribunal! of
each pedantical Ariftarcbus vnderftanding.
The World of Wonders, Imprinted for John Norton, 1607.
63. MODERN ROMAN TYPE "RENNER" THEO. L. De VINNE
6S MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
CORNELII TACITI DE VITA ET
INCIPIT FELICITER
CLarorum virorum fadla
tum^ne nostris quidem
aetas omisit quotiens
gressaestvitium
tiam redli et invidiam*
pronum magisque in
adprodendamvirtutis
tantum conscientiae pretio ducebatun
potius morum quam adrogantiam
aut obtredtationi fuit: adeo virtutes
facillime gignuntur. at nunc narraturo
quam non petissem incusaturus. tam
cum Aruleno Rustico Paetus Thrasea^
dati essent capitale fuisse> neque in ipsos
saevitum^ delegate triumviris ministerio
in comitio ac foro urerentur. scilicet illo
senatuset conscientiam generis humani
pientiae professoribus atque omni bona
tum occurreret* dedimus profedto
64. MODERN ROMAN TYPE "MERRYMOUNT" BY B.G.GOODHUE
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 09
since known by his name. This face has comparatively
recently been revi\'ed by modern type-founders ; and though
this revival has provided us with a text letter far superior to
the forms previously in use, the modern imitation falls
short of the beauty of Caslon's original, as may be seen by
comparing the letters shown in 6i, which are reproduced
from Caslon's specimen-book, issued by him about the
middle of the eighteenth century, with the type used in
printing this volume, which is a good modern " Caslon."
Figures 62 to 67 show some newly devised type faces,
all designed by artists of reputation. Figure 62 illustrates
a fount called the " Montaigne " which has been recently
completed by Mr. Bruce Rogers for the Riverside Press,
Cambridge, Mass., and cut under his immediate direction,
with especial insistance upon an unmechanical treatment
of serifs, etc. As a result the "Montaigne" is, for type,
remarkable in its artistic freedom, and its forms are well
worthy the study of the designer. Both its capitals and small
letters suggest the purity of the Italian Renaissance shapes.
The letters space rather farther apart than in most types,
and the result makes for legibility. Although several other
modern faces of type have been designed on much the same
lines, notably one for The Dove's Press in England, the
"Montaigne" seems the best of them all, because of its
freedom, and its absolute divorce from the overdone, exag-
gerated, heavy-faced effects of the Morris styles of type.
Mr. De Vinne of the De Vinne Press, New York City,
has introduced a new type called the "Renner", 63,
which was originally cut for some of the Grolier Club's
publications. The letters were first photographed from a
selected page of Renner's " Quadrigesimale," then care-
70 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
MARCVS TVLLIVS CICERO DE SE-
NECTUTE CATO MAJOR CAP. XXII
APVDXENOPHONTEM AVTEM MO
RIENS CYRVS MAJOR HAEC DICIT:
lOLITE arbitrari, O mei carissimi
filii, me, cum a vobis discessero,
nusquam aut nullum fore. Nee
enim dum eram vobiscum ani-
mum meum videbatis, sed eum
esse in hoc corpore ex iis rebus
quas gerebam intellegebatis. Eundem igitur es-
se creditote,etiam si nullum videbitis. 80. Nee
vero clarorum virorum post mortem honores per-
manerent, si nihil eorum ipsorum animi effice-
rent, quo diutius memoriam sui teneremus. Mihi
quidem persuaderi numquam potuit animos dum
in corponbus essent mortalibus vivere, cum ex-
cessissent ex eis emori; nee vero tum animum
esse insipientem cum ex insipienti corpore eva-
sisset ; sed cum omni admixtione corporis libera-
tus purus et integer esse coepisset, tum esse
sapientem. Atque etiam, cum hominis natura
morte dissolvitur, ceterarum rerum perspicuum est
quo quaeque discedat, abeunt enim illuc omnia
unde orta sunt; animus autem solus nee eum
€5. MODERN ROMAN TYPE "CHELTENHAM" BY B.G.GOODHUE
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 71
fully studied and redrawn before the punches were cut.
Mr. De Vinne has added small capitals and italics to the
fount, as well as dotted letters to serve as substitutes for the
italic for those who prefer them. The "Renner" type
would have been more effective on a larger body ; but for
commercial usefulness it is generally deemed expedient to
employ as small a body as the face of a type will allow.
Mr. De Vinne notes, in this connection, that all the impor-
tant types of the early printers were large, and that a fount
designed to-day with regard only to its artistic effectiveness
would be cast upon a large body and be of good size.
Mr. Bertram G. Goodhue has designed two founts of
Roman tvpe,and is now at work on a Blackletter face. His
first fount, cut for Mr. D. B. Updike, of the Merrymount
Press, Boston, and known as the " Merrymount," is shown
in 64. Intended for large pages and rough paper it neces-
sarily shows to disadvantage in the example given, where
the blackness and weight of the letters makes them seem
clumsy, despite the refinement of their forms.
The "Cheltenham Old Style," 65, is the other Roman
face recently designed by the same artist. It was cut for the
Cheltenham Press of New York City; and embodies in its
present form many ideas suggested by Mr. Ingalls Kimball
of that press. Observe especially the excess in length of the
ascenders over the descenders, and that the serifs have been
reduced to the minimum. Contrary to the usual custom in
type cutting, the round letters do not run above or below
the guide lines. The capitals compose excellently ; but the
small letters are too closely spaced and seem too square for
the best effect, and weight has been obtained by so thicken-
ing the lines that much delicacy and variety has been lost.
72 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
The "Cheltenham Old Style" is, however, very legible
when composed into words, and is effective on the page.
Any attempt to get the effect of Blackletter with the
Roman form is likely to result clumsily. The celebrated
Roman faces designed by William Morris (too familiar to
require reproduction here) are, despite their real beauty,
ABrAEZHGIKAMNHOnPCTTOXYQ
*Opcb JU.€N <S> QNdpec 'AeHNoToi Ta
napoNTO npdrjuaxa hoXXmn ducKoXioN
exoNTQ Kai rapa^HN, ou jjlonon tco noXXa
npoeTceai kqi JUHdeN e?Nai npoiiprou nepi
auTcoN €u XereiN, aXXa kqi nepi tcon
unoXoincoN Kara rauxa JUHde Kae' €N to
cujJL9epoN naNTQC HreTceai, aXXa ToTc jucn
cbdi, ToTc d' cTepcoc doKclN.
GG. MODERN GREEK TYPE SELWVN IMAGE
over-black on the page, and awkward when examined in
detail. While the stimulus Morris's work gave to typog-
raphy was much needed at that time, the present reaction
toward more refined faces is most gratifying. By precept
and example Mr. Morris produced a salutary revolt against
the too thin and light and mechanical type faces before in
use, but he went too far in the opposite direction, and we
are now certainly falling back upon a more desirable mean.
Mr. Herbert P. Home is at present designing a new
fount of type for the Merrymount Press, Boston, to be
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 73
known as the " Mont' Allegro," which seems, from the
designs so far as at present completed, likely to prove in
some respects the most scholarly and se\'ere of modern faces.
xg CIp, Lord, ai)d let pot njar? bavG tbe upper
bai)d : let One beatibci> be judged ii> tby sight.
20 Put tben? it) fear, O Lord : tbat ft\c bcatibci)
ii)ay ki^ow tl)cipsclyes to be but n^ep.
PSALME X.
UTQUID;DOMINE?
HY stapdest tbou so
far off, O Lord: apd
bidest tby face ii) tbe
peedful tinjc of trou-
ble?
2 Tbeupgod^yforbis
owi) lust dotb perse--
cute ftve poor : let tben>
be taker? ii? tbc craf-
ty wilipess tbat tb^
bave iipagiped.
3 For tbc ui)god|y batb njade boast of bis
owi) beart's desire : apd speaketb good of Qua
covetotis, wl:)oip God abborretb.
4 Tbs upgod^ is so proud, tbat be caretb POt
for God : peitbcr is God it) all bis tbougbts.
G7. MODERN ROMAN TYPE
C. R. ASHBEE
The Greek type designed for the Macmillan Company of
England, by Mr. Selwyn Image, 66, is of sufficient interest
to be shown here, despite the fact that it is not strictly
germane to our subject. In this face Mr. Image has
74 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
returned to the more classic Greek form, although the result
may at first glance seem illegible to the reader familiar with
the more common cursive letters.
The type shown in 67 is a new English face designed
by Mr. C. R. Ashbee for a prayerbook for the King.
Interesting as it is, it seems in many ways too extreme and
eccentric to be wholly satisfactory : the very metal of tvpe
would seem to postulate a less "tricky" treatment.
ARCHlTE'CTv'R^L
LETTERVGER^AW
AR>CPCFGHljKL
/^WOPQR^TVXW
68. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS AFTER J. M. OLBRICH
It is interesting to attempt a discrimination between the
various national styles of pen letters which the recently
revived interest in the art of lettering is producing ; and it
is especially worth while to note that the activity seems,
even in Germany, to be devoted almost exclusively to the
development and variation of the Roman forms. It is
noteworthy, too, after so long a period of the dull copying
of bad forms, and particularly of bad type forms, that
the modern trend is distinctly in the direction of freedom ;
though this freedom is more marked in French and German
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 75
than in English or American work. Hand in hand with
this increased freedom of treatment has naturally come a
CIVILI5AriOM<5rPRIX-
TABIArURE^JTMORT
JAR©ON<?FLUIDITE
COLLErPASTORALE
;v^5rRiv\n)orf<rzBLiA
G9. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS GUSTAVE LEMMEN
clearer disclosure of the mediums employed; and indeed in
much of the best modern work the designer has so far lent
himself to his tools that the tools themselves have, in great
measure, become responsible for the resulting letter forms.
(TioDcnri
ocn^rii^h • nix
f1IJ]rSL{>lliOPQ
70. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS AFTER ALOIS LUDWIG
76 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Moreover modern designers are showing a welcome atten-
tion to minuscule letters, and it even seems possible that
before long some small letter forms that shall be distinc-
tively of the pen may be developed, and that the use of type
models for minuscule pen letters will no longer be found
necessary or commendable.
(SCRmBniiec
ueRineaBCD
eP6GHDKiim
nOPQRSCUDX
71. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS AFTER OTTO ECKMANN
Another noticeable tendency in modern lettering seems
to be the gradual promotion of small letter forms to the
dignity of capitals, (see 79 and 98 for examples) in much the
same way as the Uncial letter and its immediate deriva-
tives produced the present small letter. It is surely to be
hoped that this movement may not lose vitality before it
has had time to enrich us with some new and excellent
forms.
X
o
H
H
O
«
78 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
73, MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS
JOSEPH PLfiCNIK
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 79
BEND Jl
NOTYU
CAGFH
LASTZ
KRXWR
Q/PEM
74. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS AFTER FRANZ STUCK
80 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
novervn
QenroAn
fMSCPFTDl
JfCLHOPp
xyz::laq
23^869751
75. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS F. C. U.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS Rl
MARCH/n
TED GUX
WfNG JO:
KLrsr BR
QVYZAD
S€R:123
76. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS AFTER BERNHARD PANKOK
82
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Ti. MODERN FRENCH POSTER
THEO. VAN RVSSELBERGHE
The influence of nationality-
is strongly shown in the mod-
ern lettering of all countries ,
and it is generally as easy to
recognize a specimen as the
work of a German, French,
English, or American artist,
respectively, no matter how
individual he may be, as it is
to tell the difference between
the work of two different
designers.
The modern German seems
to have an undeniable fresh-
ness of outlook on the Roman
alphabet. He treats it with a freedom and variety and a
certain disregard of precedent
— induced, perhaps, by his
schooling in Blackletter — that
often produces delightful,
though sometimes, be it added,
direful results. But if the
extreme and bizarre forms be
thrown aside the designer may
obtain suggestions of great
benefit and value from the
more restrained examples of
German work. Many emi-
nent German draughtsmen,
whose work is all too little
, . 7S. MODERNFRENCHCOVER
known in this country, are m. p. verneoil
LAnimAL
DAKS L(\ DECORATION.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 83
ABCDEF
QHUKLm
NOFQieST
UVXZYDfl
klnpqrstuy^
79. MODERN FRENCH LETTERS AFTER M. P. VERNEUIL
84
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
80. MODERN FRENCH POSTER
P. BONNARD
using letters with the same dis-
tinction that has of late vean;
marked their purely decorative
work, as the specimens shown
in 68 to "6 will evidence.
Figures 68 and 75 show forms
which are perhaps especially
representative of the general
modern tendency in German
work and many German artists
are using; letters of very similar
general forms to these although,
of course, with individual vari-
ations. Figures 70 and 73
show two very original and pleasing styles, also markedly
German. In spite of the national drift toward the Roman,
much modern German letter-
ing still takes the Gothic and
Blackletter forms ; and the
specimen reproduced in 71
shows a curious combination
of the Gothic, Uncial and
Roman forms pervaded by the
German spirit. The beautiful
lettering in 72 seems to have
been inspired from a stone-cut
Uncial. Figure 74 shows an
almost strictly Roman letter,
and yet is as unmistakably
German in handling as any
of the other examples shown.
r.*»«.'i.\r.
LIMAGE
lilt«ii<c t<- arti5ti<(ue»,
Cfv\it I
4 li-.D«l
VSV'-* U.,»nS(r..
■<• IF, f.
S.tiu,'
p.<-.j ;5?i">^
<i^'!:^'^i^
81. MODERN FRENCH COVFR
GEORGE AURIOL
o
a,
cy &=- c=^ (y
<
H
u
X
u
o
o
86
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Among the examples of modern French lettering, those
shown in 7^ and 79 are perhaps the most typical of the
mc'dern school. This style of letter was given its most
S%^/^
f^)#^^-
,^vJJ t>.hon. ob5«^i^»^te 5'^ibembleR Ovjs lt:ttacs,v)e
(^% 'csT ^ l^ fois tm ieu O'Ar^TeT O'esfiRiT; on
KSa b''9 OiCcRlif comme ^ nouc«, une intKi-
sue, i^ (>KOf>oif(ii!C ufvc cni&fne . (•^lin^v* Aa-
(XurIoI *, Ocpcniii iMii comf)t(y«5 ^cri jjroOioue
rhwmuttR cclAtcnt: en ce Rccucil ; |»>r surcroiT
'^Ul^^m T^oRRis (ur^^c^u'it ^e(^i"r\U f'Aru
<^lv traVail fait a-Ot'cJoie ». Ik K sen-Oitu'^c
Oci corvN>iintion> ■OltiiUitfS eT'moNOie^f.JucciD* le
fio.^Tout f>r?otJ^mC rcntR;\lta Oe Ia RCchcr?th*
83. MODERN FRENCH LETTERED PAGE GEORGE AURIOL
consistent form by the joint efforts of M. P. Verneuil and
some of the pupils of Eugene Grasset, after whose letter it
was originally modeled. Grasset freely varies his use of
this form in his different designs, as in 85, but founds many
of his best specimens upon the earlier French models.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS S7
GEORGE AURIOL
his usual Jdhrx. i i 3
4\^inic\m the pilot
Dublin . flovOering -Oakl
zebRo^ ho]iC<x>^ I^.nzo,^
\}<Nn D'^ck quaint |b>c.
de^ jo2 567890.
A B C D E r G H
n K L M N O
PQRSTU
SI. AIODERN FRENCH LETTERS "CURSIVE" GEORGE AURIOL
88
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
M. George Auriol has
extended the modern
use of drawn letters by
publishing a number of
small books which
he has handwritten
throughout, although the
form of letter he gener-
ally uses for this pur-
pose is purely modern
and not at all like the
texts of the medieval
scribes. M. Auriol's
letter is beautifully clear,
readable and original ;
"brushy" in its tech-
nique, yet suitable for
rapid writing. He calls
^wHfe 1^
jAflBk
JJecoration.
¥
MAIXE,
1897
lilBRfllRlE CENTRHLE DES BE'WX JifCTS
15.RUE liajOC/ETTE PARli
85, MODERN FRENCH COVER DESIGN
EUGENE GRASSET
ART- HORIZON-STY LEWAX
FAVOR J VLI VS • CyESAR-I
BOLINGBROKEDEFEAT
COASTLATITVDEKMIGHT
SVCCESSPATRIOT-QVEEM
DOVBTPYGAT ^-
m
86. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS
WALTER CRANE
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 89
COMEDY THEATRE
SHAKESPEAREAN-SEASON
n^FRBENSOi'SCO^IPANI
DECEMBER 1919QQWaPRIL-9190]|
ST. MODERN ENGLISH POSTER
WALTER CRANE
90 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
KhMNQ
miKTZ
MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS WALTER CRANE
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
91
89. MODERN ENGLISH LETTERS
WALTER CRANE
it a "Cursive" letter, and has
recently made designs for its
use in type. The page shown
in 83 is from the preface to
a book of his well-known
designs for monograms, and
the entire text is written in
this cursive form. The indi-
vidual letters of this "Cur-
sive" may be more easily
studied in 84. The cover for
"LTmage", 81, shows the
same designer's use of a more conventional Roman form.
The poster by M. Theo. van Rysselberghe shown in 77
exhibits two interesting forms of French small letters that
are worthy of study and sug-
gestive for development.
M. Alphons Mucha employs
a distinctive letter, especially
fitted to his technique, which
he uses almost invariably, 82.
Much recent French letter-
inclines toward a certain
m
formlessness, that, although
sometimes admirable when
regarded merely from the point
of view of harmony with the
design, has little value other-
wise. A typical specimen of
such formless lettering is that
shown in the very charming
TEB(D)K
BOOK-
PLATES
<s OPVBLISHED
QVARTERLYAT
2o FREDERICK S!
IN EDINBVRGH
00. MODERN ENGLISH TITLE
JOSEPH W. SIMPSON
92
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
c^FreitchCfeancri
MithWalkEDINBURCII
91. MODERN ENGLISH POSTER
JOSEPH W. SIMPSON
*'Revue Blanche" poster, 80,
Excellent when considered
with the design, the lettering
alone makes but an indifferent
showing.
The Italian designers of
letters have not yet evolved
any very distinctive national
forms. In many ways Italian
work resembles the German.
It has less originality, but
greater subtlety and refinement.
The strongest personality
among modern British letterers
is Mr. Walter Crane. Characteristic examples of his work
are shown in 86, 87, 88 and 89. Although sometimes
apparently careless and too often rough, his lettering has the
merit and charm of invariably
disclosing the instrument and
the material employed. Mr.
Crane is especially fond of an
Uncial pen form, which he
varies with masterful freedom.
It may be mentioned in pass-
ing that he is perhaps the only
designer who has been able to
make the wrongly accented (^
seem consistent (compare 86),
or who has conquered its
92. MODERN ENGLISH COVER ^wash tail whcn the letter is
WILLIAM NICHOLSON accentcd in this unusual way.
Londoniypes
ByWilUamNicholson.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
93
KVIOTE'(°Ia
LOMDOrt
93. MODERN ENGLISH COVER
LEWIS F. DAY
Mr. Lewis F. Day has be-
come a recognized authority
on lettering, both through his
writings and his handiwork.
His great versatility makes it
difficult to select a specimen
which may be taken as char-
acteristic of his work; but per-
haps the lettering shown in 95
is as representative as any that
could be chosen. Among his
designs the magazine cover, 93,
is an unusually free and effec-
tive composition, and its letter
forms possess the variety re-
quired to satisfy the eye when so much of the whole effect
of the design depends upon them.
The style of lettering ordinarily employed by Mr. Selwyn
Image — a stvle of marked originality and distinction — is
well exhibited in the design for a book cover, 98.
The name of Mr. Charles Ricketts is intimately associated
with the Vale Press. The
detail of the title-page repro-
duced in 100 shows a char-
acteristic bit of his work.
Mr. J. W. Simpson, one of
the younger British draughts-
men, uses a graceful and
interestingly linked Roman
form shown in the panel from
a title-page, 90. The bizarre
THE PAGE
Qiristmas
1900
94. MODERN ENGLISH TITLE
GORDON CRAIG
94 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
ABCDE
FGHIK
LMNOP
QRSTU
vwxyz
95. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS LEWIS F. DAY
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
95
letter by the same artist, 91,
is fairly representative of a
style recently rome into vogue
among the younger British
draughtsmen, which is related
to a form of letter brought
into fashion by the new Eng-
lish school of designers on
wood, among whom may be
mentioned Mr. William Nich-
olson and Mr. Gordon Craig,
both of whom have done letter-
ing distinguished by its indica-
tion of the medium employed.
Figure 92 shows Mr. Nichol-
son's favorite type of letter
POEMS
BY
JOHN KEATS
ILLVSTRATIONS BY
ROBERT AN NING BELL
AMD INTRODVCTION
BY WALTER RALEIGH
LONDON : GEORGE BELL
SrSONS YORK STREET
COVENT GARDEN :NEW
YORK 66 FIFTH A/ENVE
MDCCCXCVII
90. MODERN ENGLISH TITLE
ROBERT ANNING BELL
TH I"
NATURAL HISTORY
OF-SELBORNEBY
GILBERT-^HITE
Edited by
Grant Allen
Illustrated by
Edmund HNev
R^presenuauive
'paiDuers^ '
ojune
xixcenuurc/^
97. MODERN ENGLISH COVER
EDMUND H. NEW
98. MODERN ENGLISH COVER
SELWYW IMAGE
96
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
fairly, and the style of Mr. Craig's work is suggested by the
title for a book cover in 94.
The book cover, 97, by Mr. Edmund H. New, shows
ORIGINALITY OF
DEJIGNGCDD CRAFTJMAN-
-JHIP-MODERATEGHARGEJ
CATALOGUEJ FREE
99. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS
ANONYMOUS
variants of the Roman capital and minuscule forms, which
closely adhere to classic models.
Mr. Robert Anning Bell has done much distinctive let-
tering in intimate association with design. Figure 96 is
fairly representative of his style of work.
fcN)TH£ MVS€S
100. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS CHARLES RICKETTS
Such other British artists as Messrs. Alfred Parsons.
James F. Sullivan, Hugh Thompson, Herbert Railton, Byam
Shaw, H. Granville Fell and A. Garth Jones, although much
better known for their designs than for their letters, occa-
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
V)7
l^Hpoetry o?7
H^^M
101. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
EDWIN A. ABBEY
sionallv give us bits of letter-
ing which are both unusual
and excellent ; but these bits
are commonly so subordinated
to the designs in which they
are used and so involv^ed with
them as to be beyond the scope
of the present book.
In illustrating the lettering
of American artists it has been
unfortunately found necessary
102. MODERN' A.MERICAN TITLE
to omit the work of many
well-known designers, either
because their usual style of
lettering is too similar in fund-
amental forms to the work of
some other draughtsman, or
because the letters they com-
monly employ are not distinc-
ti\'e or indiyidual.
Mr. Edwin A. Abbey is a
notable example of an artist
who has not disdained to
expend both time and practice
on such a minor art as lettering
ANONYMOUS
Vol xriv
lO Ceiit>*CDf7
HARPERS
WEEKLY
A Journal of Civilization
103. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
EDWARD PENFIELD
98 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
ABCDE
FGHIJ
KLMN
OPQR
STUV
WXYZ
104. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS EDWARD PENFIELD
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 99
bcde^hi
J klmnopq
rstuvwm
105. MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS EDWARD PENFIELD
100
MODERN ROMAN i. E T T E R S
that he might be able to
letter his own designs, as
the beautiful page, shown
in 153 in the succeeding
chapter, will sufficiently
prove. The lettering of
the title-page for Her-
rick's poems, loi, by the
same draughtsman, is
likewise excellent, being
both original and appro-
priate. The letters in
both these examples are
modeled after old work,
and both display an unus-
ually keen grasp of the
limitations and possibili-
ties of the forms em-
ployed, especially in the former, 153, where the use of
capitals to form words is particularly noteworthy, while in
general composition and spacing the spirit of the letter used
(compare 179) has been perfectly preserved,
Mr. Edward Penfield's work first attracted attention
through the series of posters which he designed for ' Harp-
er's Magazine' with unfailing fertility of invention for
several years. During this time he evolved a style of letter
which exactly fitted the character of his work. The cover
design shown in 103 displays his characteristic letter in
actual use; while the two interesting pages of large and
small letter alphabets by him, 104 and 105, show the latest
and best development of these letter forms. The heading
- lOG. MODERN AMERICAN COVER DESIGN
H. VAN B. MAGONIGLE
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 101
PROGRAM.
MCMI
ABCDEFG
HIJKIMN
OPC^^TV
WXYZ
107. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS H.VAN B. MAGONIGLE
102
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
VANDYCK
TITIAN
VELASQYEZ
HOLBEINYX
BOTTICELLI
REMBRANDT
REYNOLDS
MILLET
Gi2YBELLINI
MVRILLO
HALS
RAPHAEL
108. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS
B. G. GOODHUE
shown in 102 exhibits a
slightly different letter, evi-
dently based upon that used
by Mr. Penfield.
The capitals by Mr. H.Van
B. Magonigle, shown in 107,
are derived from classic Roman
forms but treated with a mod-
ern freedom that makes them
unusually attractive. They
appear, however, to better
advantage in actual use in
conjunction with a design,
106, than when shown in the
necessarily restricted form of
an alphabetical page panel.
Mr. Bertram G. Goodhue,
whose designs for type have
already been mentioned, is a
rOoddtS^eaot &^Oo
HOLIDAY
IIiLUSTHATED
BOOK/S
109. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
WILL BRADLEY
mTrrm
sH'H
Q
<
Pi
m
Q
O
104
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
"^^e INTER.1NAT10NAL
STVDIO
An Illustrated Monthly Maga
zine of FINE (Tgb APPLIED
ARJ "Edited by Charles
MoLME TubluhedbyioviN
LANBTheBodlev'riead at
i4^o Fj/ih e/fve Ne w Yo r ks
Trice ^^cenXs -♦"^drJySub
script ion AJ-^o po^t paid*
most facile and careful let-
terer. Although his name is
more intimately associated
with Blackletter (examples of
his work in that style are
shown in the following chap-
ter), he has devised some very
interesting variations of the
Roman forms, such as that
used in io8, as an example.
111. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
WILL BRADLEY
Mr. Will Bradley uses a very
individual style of the Roman
capital, often marked by a pecu-
liar exaggeration in the width
of the round letters, contrasted
with narrow tall forms in such
letters as E, F and L. Mr,
Bradley has become more free
and unconventional in his later
work, but his specimens have
always been noteworthy for
beauty of line and spacing; see
III. Figure 109 shows his
employment of a brush-made
variant of the Roman form ;
CHICKERING
u-r <^ L L
^^ 0-lu.-niinqion^J^Vzn.ue
\^« Opening Concert
on "T^rid ay '^Veniny
Tebruary€i)e S^l^Ol
zxjfalf Past Eight O'clocK
r-p rice / 2-Q
Admit One to the Balcony
'balcony , ^ .
CHICRERJNG
OPENING CONCERT
Triday rEVenin^
Te.br u avy S ±6 19 01
112. MODERN AMERICAN TICKET
A. J. lORIO
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 105
'^Bt
P^O MAN
L ET T LP^
ABC D E r
G H I J K
L M N O P
aP^^ TV
WX(yY Z
113. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS AFTER WILL BRADLEY
106 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
ODES OF
PINDAR
LONDON
ABODE F
G H I K L M
NOP Q^R S
T V X Y Z
114, MODERN A:\IER1CAN CAPITALS MAXFIELD PARRISH
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 107
and no shows both capitals and small letters drawn in his
earlier and less distincti\e style.
KNiCRERBOCRERS
HISTORY
OF NEW YORK
BY WASHINGTON IRVING
115. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE MAXFIELD PARRISH
The ticket, 1 1 2, designed by Mr. A. J. lorio, suggests
what our theatre tickets might be made. In spacing and
BIGELOW. KENNARD AND CQ
WILL HOLD, IN THEIR ART
RO CMS, MARCH 25 TO APRIL 6
INCLUSIVE. A SPECIAL EXHIBP
TION AND SALE OF GRUEBY
POTTERY INCLUDING THE
COLLECTION SELECTED FOR
THE BUFFALO EXPOSITION
MDCCCCI
116. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS A. B. Le BOUTILLIEP.
general arrangement of the letters and the freedom of treat-
ment. Air. lorio's work may be compared with much of the
108 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
MODIFIED
ITALIAN
CAPITALS
ABCDEFG
HIJKLMN
OPQFLSTU
VZWXY
117. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS A. B. Le BOUTILLIER
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 109
Lower
abcdef^
mn
opqrstu
ywxyzs|
118. MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS A. B. Le BOUTILLIER
110
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
GRUEBY
POTTEKY
GOLD MEDALS
PARIS 1900
ST. PETERSBURG
I9OI
GRUEBY FAIENCE
CO..BOSTON MASS
work of Mr. Bradley. Figure
113 shows a modern Roman
capital form modeled upon the
work of Mr, Bradley.
Mr. Maxfield Parrish com-
monly employs a widely spaced
letter, fashioned closely after
the old German models, beau-
tiful in its forms, and displaying
the individuality of the artist in
its composition. The form
and use of Mr. Parrish's usual
letter is well shown in 114;
and the title from a book cover
design, i 15, shows yet another
example of the letter in service.
The lettering of Mr. A. B.
libris
119. MODERN AMERICAN POSTER
A. B. LE BOVTILLIER
Le Boutillier is always notable
for spacing and composition.
Figures 117 and 118 exhibit
excellent capital and small-
letter fornis (which, by the
way, were drawn at the same
size as the reproductions); and
ERNEST
IRQEBSO.
WHITE.
120. AM ERI CAN BOOK-PLATE
CLAUDE KAVETTE BRAGUON
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 111
the two other specimens of Mr. Le Boutillier's work, ii6
and 119, which are reproduced to show his letters in use,
will be found exemplars for spacing, composition, balance
LITERATURE
An International GAZETTE of
CRITICISM ^^^s) Issued Weekly
Price 10 cents a copy /4.00 ayear
121. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE C. F. BRAGDON
of weight and color, and, in the latter drawing, for harmony
between the lettering and the treatment of the design.
The form of letter preferred by Mr. Claude Fayette
Bragdon is represented by the page of small letters, 59,
which, as we have already said, are closely modeled on the
type alphabet designed by Jenson. In Mr. Bragdon's ver-
GRUEBY RMENCE COMPANY
MAKERS OF ENAMELED TERRA
COTTA. TILES. GRUEBY POTTERY
K AND FIRST ST'S, BOSTON. MASS
122. MODERN AMERICAN LETTER-HEAD C. F. BRAGDON
sion they represent an excellently useful and conservative
style of small letter. They are shown in use, with harmo-
nious capitals and italics, in the ' Literature ' cover design,
121. In the small book-plate, reproduced in 120, Mr.
112
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Bragdon has used a very graceful variant, especially note-
worthy for its freedom of serif treatment; and in the
letter-heading, 122, he has employed an attractive capital
of still different character.
Mr. H. L. Bridwell
has originated the singu-
larly excellent letter shown
in 124, which is founded
upon some of the modern
Frencharchitectural forms.
He uses it with great free-
dom and variety in spacing
according to the effect that
he desires to produce. In
one instance he will jam
the letters together in an
oddly crowded line, while
in another we find them
spread far apart, but always
with excellent results as
regards the design as a
whole. Something of this
variation of spacing is
shown in 123. In the
numerous theatrical post-
ers which Mr. Bridwell has
designed — and which too seldom bear his signature — he
employs a great variety of lettering. Sometimes, of course,
the freedom of his work is restricted by the conservatism of
clients; but often the letter forms here illustrated add to the
style and distinction of his designs.
123. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
H. L. BRIDWELL
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 113
FUENCH
FItENCH a
ABCDEFG
HIJKLMNO
POR.STU\^
VXYZ 154
56769 &
l'J4. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS H. L. BRIDWELL
114 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
ROMAN
LETTERS
ABCDEF
GHIJRL
MNOPQR
STUVZW
125. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS FRANK HAZENPLUG
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 115
ABCD
EFCm
JRLM
NORQ
STUV
WXY
12G. MODERN AMERICAN CAPITALS FRANK HAZENPLUG
IIG
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
: iekery a nn
^
other gi rls
(£i
hoy SI- e 1 ia
VK
p e a 1 1 i e
Mr. Frank Hazenplug, the
author of much clever deco-
rative lettering, has evolved a
very black and striking style
of capital that still retains
grace. Figures 125 and 126
show two sets of Mr. Hazen-
plug's capitals. A book cover
on which he has used small
letters in an original way is
reproduced in 127. Figure
129 shows the employment of
a heavy-faced letter similar to
that exhibited in alphabet 126,
but suggestive in its serif treat-
ment of Mr, Penfield's letter.
Mr. Edward Edwards em-
ploys a letter, 128, which, though rather conventional in its
lines, is noteworthy for its treatment of serifs and its spacing.
Mr. Guernsey Moore's letters shown in 130 are naturally
better both in intrinsic form, spacing and composition than
the widely used " Post Old Style " types which were based
upon them. The large and small letters displayed in 133
show a form that, at the pres-
ent writing, seems to be in
considerable favor. It is, how-
127. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
FRANK HAZENPLUG
HARPERS
PICTORIAL HISTORY
OF THE
WJ^vrmSPAIN
128. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
EDWARD EDWARDS
e\ er, too extreme, and its
peculiarities are too exagger-
ated to allow it to become a
permanent style. But like
the extravagant German forms
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
117
E
g
A CATALOGUE
OF THE THIRD
EXHIBITIONOF
THE CHICAGO
ART5&CRAFES
SOCIETY
already referred to, k has also
apparent advantages ; and a
few of its characteristics are
not unlikely to survive in some
more conservative adaptation.
The letter by Mr. Harry
Everett Townsend shown in
1 3 I is most distinctive in effect
— a more refined form of the
rapidly drawn character shown
in 138.
Mr. Howard Pvle often
gives us charming bits of letter-
ing in connection with his illus-
trations. The heading, 132,
shows a characteristic line.
Most of Mr. Pyle's lettering
is "Colonial" or Georgian in
style, though the initials he
uses with it are generallv rendered in the fashions of the
early German woodcuts, some-
129. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
FRANK HAZENPLUG
what similar to Holbein's init-
ials for the " Dance of Death."
One of the most original of
American letterers is Mr. Or-
son Lowell. Usually closely
conjoined with design, his let-
tering does not show to its full
value when reproduced apart
from its surroundings, for
much of its charm depends
MIDWINTER
ROMANCE
NUMBER
An Illustrateel
Weekly Magazine
Founded A? 1)^1728
6y Benj. Franklin
130. MODERN AMERICAN TITl £•
GUERNSEY MOORE
118 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
upon its harmony in line and color with the accompanying
drawing Mr. Lowell has taken the same basic forms as
those used by Mr. Penfield, and has played with them until
be^iioatK tKo Linens oC 5IR-
RICHAKD LOVELACE/ 'vT
POEM oalexl — " To Luoafta
on going to thei^ -wars"
wLioK 5attK :
131. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE HARRY E. TOWNSEND
he has developed a series of most ingenious and fanciful
letters. The examples reproduced in 136 and 137 but
inadequately show a few of the many forms that Mr.
Lowell employs with remarkable fertility of invention and
delightfully decorative effect of line. The small letters, 135,
shown opposite his capitals, 134, are not by Mr. Lowell,
Colonies and Nation.
AShortHiJlory ofthePeople of
theXlrntcd Stales.
132. MODERN AMERICAN HEADING HOWARD PVLE
nor are they in any way equal to his own small letters, of
which regrettably few appear in his published work; but
they may serve to exhibit a similar method of treating a
much more conventional form of minuscule than Mr.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 119
abcde^liijkfii
iKpqKstuvxwzx
ABCDEFGH
IJKLMNOP
OR^TVUW
XYZARQBT
133 MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS F. C. B.
123 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
134. MODtRN AMERICAN CAPITALS AFTER ORSON LOWELL
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 121
135. MODERN AMERICAN SMALL LETTERS
F. C. B.
122 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
Lowell would himself use for the same purpose. Despite
its unconventionality, however, an examination of Mr.
Lowell's work will show that each letter has been developed
to fit the space between its neighbors and to balance and
ow a:^ office bo^ ispiee
0;immteQ^C
136. MODERN AMERICAN TITLES ORSON LOWELL
relieve their forms ; and that, fanciful as some of the shapes
may appear, they have invariably been knowingly worked
out, and always appear harmonious and fit.
The pages of letters shown in 138, 139 and 140 are
intended to suggest forms which, while suitable for rapid
use, yet possess some individuality and character. The so-
called "Cursive" letter by Mr. Maxfield Parrish, 140, is
particularly effective for such informal use — in fact, its
very charm lies in its informality — and is quite as distinct-
ively "pen-ny" as any of Mr. Crane's work of the same kind.
A glance over the field of modern examples will disclose,
first, a general tendency to break away from the older type
models in pen-drawn forms; second, a growing partiality
for the small letter, and third, a sporadic disposition to use
capital and minuscule forms interchangeably. The first
m^-^. IL,
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 123
'Tr'JHTr^ y^HITTO trend may be noticed by com-
paring the letter shown in 132,
D)iI^U^'45:i^^rlliiIL ^,,hich is closely modeled after
type, with that shown in 136,
in which an opposite method is
followed, and the letters are so
treated in handling form and
WS!^M^S)MJL color as to best harmonize with
^ (^yg,.^^c^^.=ipjuy the design itself. The possibili-
Ir^^KjT J n n IJ Si indicated by such interesting uses
ISKTHSIHIT ©F ^^ ^^°^^ ^^°^'" "^ ^S^res 77, 89,
TIHIE (SOILP 98,101,111,112,121,127,130
- and 131. American designers
i&it\) kAlIaMk^li seem to be especially interested
tJ:^^^^J-^<^ S>^L^ in the development of the small
letter. Of the interminglins: of
137. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE " °
ORSON LOWELL
the capital and small letter shapes
examples may be found in figures
7i> 75, 11, 78, 79, 82, 83, 84, 98, 127 and 134. In
these examples it will be noted that the minuscules seem to
be more easily transformed into capitals than do the capitals
into minuscules; only a few of the latter appearing to lend
themselves harmoniously to the small letter guise.
Such tendencies as these, if allowed to develop slowly
and naturally, are certain to evolve new forms — a process
of modification which it should be fully as instructive and
entertaining to observe as any of the historical changes
that have already become incorporated into our present
letter shapes.
124 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
AlCniTECTUR.AL
LETTEU--DETA1L3
kJincLll Lett ero' • dbcdc^
hijklmiiopqrj'tuvwxyz
Free aj}d_yet Qdoy'ic in
effect dJid feelinO 610*0 •
AbCDlYGm
JKLMNOFQ.
LJTUVXWYZ
AlwayLT to be> uure/d in
Jknel-ferm v^ere pojtrjHle
138. MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS, FOR RAPID USE F. C. B.
MODERN ROMAN LETTERS 125
AKALPHABEZ
£r AI^HITECTS
ahcc/eGbuklm nopcj
rstuvwxuz 12J4^6'/
Plan of SeconjBoD,
r
A5CDEFQHIJKLM
NOPQk^TUVWYL
A goal alphabet Br
ktteriiy plans &ic
139. MODERN AMERICAN ITALIC, FOR PLANS, ETC. C. F. BRAGDON
126 MODERN ROMAN LETTERS
A
B
c
D
E r
C
H
I
J
K
L
JMu (
o P
Q
-R
S
T
u
V
w
X
Y
z
> •
a h c
d
e
f
5 J'
• 1
1 J
X 1
jn
n
o
p
^ 1-
& t
U V
•w
X ^ i.
^Ipl
hab
ct
•u^c d
/^^-
cjtiicK
Icttevlno
oil
pi<
an5
; , bach apcS.
140. MODERN AMERICAN LETTERS
MAXFIELD PARRISH
CHAPTER III
GOTHIC LETTERS
The name " Gothic " applies rather to the spirit than to the
exact letter forms of the style. The same spirit of freedom
and restlessness characterises the architecture of the period
wherein this style of letter was developed; and Gothic
letters are in many ways akin to the fundamental forms
of Gothic architecture. Their effect is often tiring and
confusing to the eye because of the constant recurrence
of very similar forms with different letter meanings; yet
this very similarity is the main cause of the pleasing aspect
of a page of Gothic lettering.
Unlike the Roman letters, which attained a complete
and final development, Gothic letters never reached author-
itative and definitive forms, any more than did Gothic
architecture. Every individual Gothic letter has several
quasi-authoritative shapes, and all of these variants may be
accepted, as long as they display an intelligent conception
of the spirit of the style as a whole. Because of this lack
of finality, however, it is impossible to analyze each of the
letter forms as we were able to do with the Roman alphabet
in Chapter I ; yet this very variability and variety constitute
at once the peculiar beauty of Gothic and the great difficulty
of so drawing it as to preserve its distinctive character.
Any letter of Gothic form is usually called either "Gothic"
or "Blackletter" indiscriminately, but this use is inexact
128 GOTHIC LETTERS
and confusing. The term " Blackletter " should, strictly,
be applied only to letters in which the amount of black in
the line overbalances the white; and the proper application
of the title should be determined rather by this balance or
weight of the letter than by its form.
JUhcz>cfQhi
lilmnopqnr
ntroime
pzittikQiot
141. ITALIAN ROUND GOTHIC SMALL LETTERS 1500
The original Gothic letter was a gradual outgrowth from
the round Roman Uncial. Its early forms retained all the
roundness of its Uncial parent ; but as the advantages of a
condensed form of letter for the saving of space became
manifest, (parchment was expensive and bulky) and the
GOTHIC LETTERS 129
abctDd
c f 5b y
klmno
pqrst
142. ITALIAN ROUND GOTHIC SMALL LETTERS IC.h CENTURY
130 GOTHIC LETTERS
1X>
^
%^LelraDeicdon
^oiiiincu)nnn'
noftcLqu^mad^
mipbileefrnoiii
tiiiimmvniucila
teiT^3?:QiTeiei€
p'^nXucaelp
r>2id.fLnoDCir7o
143. SPANISH ROUND GOTHIC LETTERS FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
GOTHIC LETTERS 131
beauty of the resulting blacker page was noticed, the round
Gothic forms were written closer and narrower, the ascenders
and descenders were shortened, with marked loss of legibilty,
that the lines of lettering might be brought closer together,
until a form was evolved in which the black overbalanced
the white — the Blackletter which still survives in the
common German text of to-day. Thus, though a Gothic
letter may not be a Blackletter, a Blackletter is ahvays
Gothic, because it is constructed upon Gothic lines. On
the other hand, a Roman Blackletter would be an obvious
impossibility. The very essential and fundamental quality
of a Roman letter lies in the squareness or circularity of
its skeleton form.
For clearness and convenience, then, the following
discrimination between the terms Gothic and Blackletter
will be adopted in this treatise : When a letter is Gothic
but not a Blackletter it will be called "Round Gothic";
when it is primarily a Blackletter it will be termed " Black-
letter," the latter name being restricted to such compressed,
narrow or angular forms as the small letters shown in 144,
147 and 148. The name "Round Gothic" will be applied
only to the earlier forms, such as those shown m 141 and
142. Such a distinction has not, I believe, hitherto been
attempted; but the confusion which otherwise results makes
the discrimination seem advisable.
The three pages of examples, figures 141, 142 and 143,
exhibit the characteristic forms and standard variations
of the Round Gothic. In lieu of any detailed analysis of
these letter shapes, it may perhaps be sufficient to say that
they were wholly and exactly determined by the position of
the quill, which was held rigidly upright, after the fashion
132 GOTHIC LETTERS
already described in speaking of Roman lettering; and that
the letters were always formed with a round swinging
motion of hand and arm, as their forms and accented lines
clearly evidence ; for the medieval scribes used the Round
Gothic as an easy and legible handwritten form, and linked
many of the letters.
Figures 158, 170, 172 and 173 show some capitals
adapted for use with these Round Gothic letters j but the
beginner should be extremely wary of attempting to use
any Gothic capitals alone to form words, as their outlines
are not suited for inter-juxtaposition. Occasionally they
may thus be used, and used effectively, as is shown, for
instance, in the beautiful page of lettering by Mr. Edwin
A. Abbey, 153; but so successful a solution is rare, and
implies an intimate knowledge of the historic examples and
use of Gothic lettering.
The late Gothic or Blackletter is condensed and nar-
rowed in the extreme. No circles are employed in the
construction of the small letters, which have angular and
generally acute corners. As in all pen-drawn letters, the
broad lines are made on the down right-sloping strokes,
and the narrow lines are at right angles to these. Black-
letter shapes, like those of the Round Gothic, cannot, as
has been said, be defined by any set of general rules ; the
intrinsic -quality of all Gothic letters almost demands a
certain freedom of treatment that would transgress any
laws that could be formulated. Indeed the individual forms
should always be subservient to the effect of the line or page.
Observe in almost every example shown how the form of
the same letter constantly varies in some minor detail.
The drawing by Albrecht Diirer, reproduced in 144, will,^
GOTHIC LETTERS 133
144. GERMAN BLACKLETTER CONSTRUCTION ALBRECHT DURER
134
GOTHIC LETTERS
however, serve to show the construction of an excellent
Blackletter, which may fairly be considered as typical.
The first essential of a good Blackletter line or page is
that it shall be of a uniform color. Unlike the Roman, the
Blackletter form does not permit that one word be wider
spaced than others in the same panel. The amount of
white left between the several letters should be as nearly as
akMgttl
muoMrte
mm
145. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS
FROM MANUSCRIPTS
possible the same throughout, approximately the same as the
space between the perpendicular strokes of the minuscule
letters themselves. Usually, the less the white space the
better will be the general effect of the page, for its beautv
depends much upon a general blackness of aspect; — and
let it be noted in passing that, for this reason, it is doubly
difficult to judge of the final effect of a Blackletter page
from any outlined pencil sketch. Even in the cases of
those capital letters that extend both above and below the
guide lines it will be found possible to so adjust the spaces
GOTHIC LETTERS 135
and blacks as not to interrupt the general uniformity of
coloi, and it is sometimes advisable to fill awkward blanks
by flourishes; although flourishing, even in Blackletter,
is an amusement that should be indulged in cautiously.
As a general rule the more solidly black a panel of Black-
letter is the better (a principle too often disregaided in
the modern use of the form); though on the other hand,
mttot)qr2f6tu
WW
146. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS WITH ROUNDED ANGLES
the less legible the individual letters will become. The
designer should therefore endeavor to steer a middle course,
making his panel as black as he can without rendering the
individual letters illegible.
No style permits more of liberty m the treatment of its
separate letter forms than the Blackletter. The same letter
may require a different outline at the beginning of a word
than in the middle or at the end. The ascenders and
descenders may be drawn so short as hardly to transcend
ehe guide lines of the minuscules, or may grow into flour-
136 GOTHIC LETTERS
ishes up and down, to the right or to the left, to fill
awkward blanks. Indeed so variable are these forms that
in ancient examples it is often difficult to recognize an
individual letter apart from its context.
The two pages drawn by Mr. Goodhue, i88 and 189,
deserve careful study as examples of modern use of the
Blackletter. It will be observed that almost as many vari-
ants of each letter are employed as the number used would
permit, thus giving the panel variety and preventing any
appearance of monotony or rigidity. Notice the freedom
and variety of the swash lines in the capitals, and yet that
each version is quite as graceful, logical and original as any
of its variants.
The examples of old lettering reproduced in figures 147,
148 and 149, together with the drawings by Mr. Goodhue,
will indicate the proper spacing of Blackletter; but in most
of the pages here devoted to illustrating the individual forms
the letters have been spaced too wide for their proper eff^ect
that each separate shape might be shown distinctly. The
style appears at its best in compositions which fill a panel of
more or less geometrical form, as, for example, the beautiful
title-page reproduced in 147. Could anything be more
delightful to the eye than its rich blackness, energetic lines,
and refreshing virility ? In this design surely we have a
specimen that, from the proportion and balance of its
blacks, is more efi^ective than anything which could have
been accomplished by the use of the more rigid Roman
letter ; but despite its many beauties it suffers from the
inherent weakness of the individual letter forms, — it is
more effective than readable !
Another excellent example of the old use of Blackletter
is the page from the prayerbook of the Emperor Maximilian,
GOTHIC LETTERS 137
147 ITALIAN BLACKLETTER TITLE-PAGE JACOPUS FORESTI, 1497
138
GOTHIC LETTERS
shown in 148, in which observe again the variety of the
individual letter forms. Figure 149 shows the use of a
Blackletter on an admirable monumental brass, which is
.ik.'UaffAVWkVJifiA
»~-CV'
:ct
m^
^mm^W^tm Win
19
a
Q)namomum
x>\
LTi:
al^^iiiOll*
™^
148. GERMAN BLACKLETTER PAGE ALBRECHT DURER, 1515
reputed to have been designed by Albrecht Diirer. A
similar Blackletter form, also from a brass, is shown at
larger scale in i86.
E
I
^^Kjf^.
GOTHIC LETTERS
I
139
wwm
iDDiCTnrrrwrniinmQO
iii flTfrnmiinpffliffi mfim
'^11
S3
Any of the min-
uscule forms of
Blackletter which
have been illus-
trated maybe used
with the Gothic
capitals of figures
164-5, 166, 177,
179, 185,188-9;
or with such Un-
cial capitals as are
illustrated in 155
to 162; care being
taken, of course,
that these capitals
are made to agree
in style and weight
with the small let-
ters chosen. Al-
though Uncial
capitals are histor-
ically more close-
ly allied with the
Round Gothic,
we have abundant
precedent for their
use with the min-
uscule Blackletter in many of the best medieval specimens.
When the Gothic Uncial capitals were cut in stone and
marble there was naturally a corresponding change in char-
acter, as is shown in the Italian examples illustrated in 160
U'J. GERMAN MEMORIAL BRASS
MEISSEN, 1510
140 GOTHIC LETTERS
and i6i. These examples, which are reproduced from
rubbings, exhibit the characteristic stone cut forms very
clearly. A Gothic Uncial alphabet redrawn from a Ger-
man brass is illustrated in 162. The group of specimens
from 154 to 159 exhibit the chronological growth of the
Uncial capitals, which were used, as has been said, with
the various small Blackletter forms, though they were also
used alone to form words, as is shown in 160. The
historical progression in these Uncial examples is most
interesting; and, allowing for the variations of national
temperament, traces itself connectedly enough. Figures
154 to 159 are pen forms, while 160 to 163 are from
stone or metal-cut letters.
Figures 164 to 166 show alphabets of Gothic pen-drawn
capitals that will serve as a basis for such adaptations as are
shown in the modern examples 152 and 153. Figures 167
to 169 show a more elaborate but an excellent and typical
variety of this form of capital, which is one of the most
beautiful and distinctive of Gothic letters. Shorn of its
fussy small lines the main skeleton is eminently virile; and,
though extremely difficult to draw, it cannot be surpassed
for certain limited uses. Figures 170 to 173 exhibit a
group of Gothic capitals more or less allied in character
and all pen letters. Figures 174 to 176 show forms similar
to those of the previous group, but adapted for use in various
materials.
Figures 177 to 179 show some English Gothic letters,
the last being that employed so effectively in the pen-drawn
page by Mr. Abbey, 153. Figures 180 to 184 illustrate
various forms of Blackletter: 180 is from a German brass,
182 illustrates an Italian pen form, and 183 and 184 show
GOTHIC LETTERS
141
^einoagei^etuafiSarEntiaf
accoraincito-t|e-^teqpTieiii
^U]8tem-toiB@icf;iscu)tl65-a
taBteofBoTpaisto-ipefliil
oftle&entig
Blackletters drawn by Albrecht
Diirer, the latter being the sim-
plest and strongest variant in
this style. It is the same let-
ter that is employed to show
Blackletter construction in
diagram 144. Figure 185
shows the well-known and
unusually beautiful initials
designed by Diirer. Figure
186 is a Blackletter from an
English brass, although the
letter forms in this example,
as well as those of many other
English brasses, may perhaps
have been derived from Flan-
ders, as many of the finest early
Continental brasses were im-
ported from the Netherlands.
The Italian forms of Gothic
Blackletters are generally too fussy and finikin to be of
practical value for modern use, though they often possess
suggestive value. The letters shown in 182 are fairly
typical of the characteristic Blackletter minuscules of Italy.
Figure 187 exhibits an example of beautiful lettering in the
Italian style, redrawn from a rubbing of an inlaid floor-slab
in Santa Croce, Florence. The omission of capitals in long,
confined lines is typical of many Blackletter inscriptions, as
may be seen in 149, as well as in the plate just mentioned.
In view of the number of fine specimens of Blackletter
which have been handed down to us, it has been deemed
comjileff^,
SertraiHS-(Soo6|ue-anth^mtEb-at-tSe-presa
ojPeTninftSc|itfti^ai»&<SarnriciiTiige
;gt«f#BuildtajKeiBSoi?R-m-{)cccj;tuu
150. MODERN AMERICAN COVER
IN BLACKLETTER B. G. GOODHUE
142
GOTHIC LETTERS
unnecessary to reproduce many examples of its employment
by modern draughtsmen. The pages by Mr. Goodhue,
188-9, have already been referred to; and figure 150
■m
^piaurDfflnWL
iDfonniirOfrKfinrfln^
iPfnnfliifDrpiniJi^fliniDfl
n)fDnir»3fini
i?%"
Wilt)
aronnDnnirDfrllnfiill
, .jiirDj(l)fliir(ifrlil)fln|il
151. MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTER WALTER PUTTNER
shows a very consistent and representative use of similar
letter forms by the same designer. Figures 190 and 191
illustrate two modern varieties of Blackletter, one very
tomgOawen
152. MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTER OTTO HUPP
simple and the other very ornate. The small cuts, 151
and 152, show excellent modern Blackletters ; the first, of
unusually narrow form, being by Herr Walter Puttner, and
the second, with its flourished initials, by Herr Otto Hupp.
GOTHIC LETTERS
143
m-
^mm
fori
mti
01
•It-
, mm'
rmmnrh
'#
153. MODERN BLACKLETTER
EDWIN A. ABBEY
144 GOTHIC LETTERS
154. UNCIAL GOTHIC INITIALS 12th CENTURY. F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 145
3 CD0
155. UNCIAL GOTHIC INITIALS 13th CENTURY. F. C. B.
146 GOTHIC LETTERS
txvtitx
15C. UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS 14th CENTURY. F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 147
nxLmxo
157. UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS Hth CENTURY. F. C. B.
148 GOTHIC LETTERS
mco
eBQhl
jBLmn
OPQB
STUV
mxjz
15S. ITALIAN UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS 14th CENTURY. F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 149
Boao
GfiGE
IBEIffi
QOQQ
neoa
159. SPANISH UNCIAL GOTHIC CAPITALS JUAN Db YCIAR, 1550
w^
lU^ J
'r'/-?
'<■ «U
S
m
1:3
Pi
O
!^
H
M
U
w
<
H
W
GOTHIC LETTERS 151
MJKHflmo
IGl. VENETIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS 15th CENTURY. F. C. B.
152 GOTHIC LETTERS
wxyz*
162. GERMAN UNCIAL CAPITALS, FROM A BRASS 14th CENTURY
<
<
S
y
K
H
O
c
<
Pi
w
o
<
►J
<
£
H
O
o
<
s
as
w
O
<
fa
<
(— i
u
s
H
O
o
<
H
O
160 GOTHIC LETTERS
IDOPQ
170. ITALIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS 16th CENTURY
GOTHIC LETTERS 161
Wi§3Z
171. ENGLISH GOTHIC CAPITALS 16th CENTURY
162 GOTHIC LETTERS
XJfXM
172. ITALIAN GOTHIC CAPITALS 17th CENTURY
GOTHIC LETTERS 163
BM£M
173. GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS
17th CENTURY
164 GOTHIC LETTERS
XIBCBC
jr6'fen
mxe^n
0f>ein^
zuvxz
m 3)
174. GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS FROM MANUSCRIPTS
GOTHIC LETTERS 165
175. GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS FROM MANUSCRIPTS
166 GOTHIC LETTERS
176. GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS FROM MANUSCRIPTS
GOTHIC LETTERS 1G7
jiii€i€jr
lmnopqr$tuii
tnr^^:: letter
177. ENGLISH GOTHIC TEXT LETTERS FROM MANUSCRIPTS
168 GOTHIC LETTERS
tmt\\ (Lmtm
ijmimm
178. ENGLISH GOTHIC LETTERS 15th CENTURY. F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 169
179. ENGLISH GOTHIC LETTERS 15th CENTURY. F.C.R
170 GOTHIC LETTERS
180. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS FROM A BRASS F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 171
dtmn
rsfumup
181. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS 16th CENTURY. F.C. B.
172
GOTHIC LETTERS
182. ITALIAN BLACKLKTTERS G. A. TAOLIENTF, 16th CENTURY
GOTHIC LETTERS 173
183. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS ALBRECHT DURER 16th CENTURY
^
174 GOTHIC LETTERS
Onrrra
briirffrliiili
linno)n)rs
rraouim^
Mabrr
184. GERMAN BLACKLETTERS ALBRECHT DURER, 16th CENTURV
GOTHIC LETTERS
175
185. GERMAN GOTHIC CAPITALS ALBRECHT DURER, IGth CENTURY
176 GOTHIC LETTERS
J5inaa« in
immm.
a wmsn
tntiopQCs
tUiUBJPU 3
186. ENGLISH GOTHIC BLACKLETTERS 15th CENTURY. F. C. B.
GOTHIC LETTERS 177
fiftmitiitni
toruHauan
Mumm
Kimnopiirst
187. ITALIAN INLAID BLACKLETTERS FROM A RUBBING, F. C. B.
178 GOTHIC LETTERS
(mostjglct
|naii„
aiffiiJEtumEBto
188. MODERN AMERICAN BLACKLETTERS B. G. GOODHUE
GOTHIC LETTERS
17!)
iMt^adtnj
_Stiacetii^e
oMetteOmfL
189. MODERN AMERICAN BLACKLETTERS B. G. GOODHUE
180 GOTHIC LETTERS
190. MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTERS AFTER JULIUS DIEZ
GOTHIC LETTERS 181
191. MODERN GERMAN BLACKLETTERS, FLOURISHED F. C. B
CHAPTER IV
ITALIC AN D SCRIPT
The regrettable modern neglect of those free and very
interesting forms of the Roman letter, Italic and Script,
seem to authorize consideration of them in a separate
chapter, even at the risk of appearing to give them undue
importance.
The first Italic type letter was derived, it is said, from
the handwriting of Petrarch, and several admirable examples
of the style, variously treated, have come down to us. As
far as construction goes Italic is, theoretically, only the
exact Roman form sloped, and with such changes as are
necessitated by the sloping of the letters. Practically, how-
ever, it will be found that certain alterations in the outlines
of the Roman letters must be made after giving them a slope
in order to adapt them to their new requirements of inter-
juxtaposition ; and, by a reflex action, when words in Italic
capitals are used in the same panel with upright Roman
letters, certain variations must be made in the latter, such
as accenting the Roman O in the same fashion as the Italic
O is accented, an altered treatment of serifs, and other
changes in detail.
The Script form of letter was developed out or the
running or writing hand, and still retains a cursive tendency
in the linking together of its letters; although in some
forms it so closely approximates to Italic as to be almost
ITALIC AND SCRIPT
183
indistinguishable from it. Script lettering came into its
greatest vogue during the Georgian period in England and
at the same time in France; and was extensively employed,
usually in conjunction with the upright Roman, in carved
panels of stone or wood, and in engraving. The Script
a&cde/^i.
(orin iL
iJiJiL 0^
pqrjMtiiJLii^i}rxj
192. GERMAN ITALIC
GOTTLIEB MUNCH, 1744
forms are well worthy of the attention of modern designers
since they offer unusual opportunities for freedom and
individuality of treatment; and because of this vitality
and adaptility to modern uses the present chapter will be
devoted largely to the illustration of Script examples.
The old Spanish and Italian writing-books (referred to in
a previous chapter), which in a measure took the place filled
so much less artistically to-day by our modern school copy-
books, contain many specimens of beautiful Script, both
capitals and small letters. Figures 193 to 196 show pages
from such books published in Spain.
184
ITALIC AND SCRIPT
:93. SPANISH SCRIPT
TORQUATO TORIO, 1802
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 185
Nl
WWllS(XVtCO(^
oAlmuindre encore mine
duott aut sonpere no
iuLyuiuseroit rien cVq)
»
anwucnr; et coinim on
194. SPANISH SCRIPTS TORQUATO TORIO, 180'J
186 ITALIC AND SCRIPT
'■ 3a stark mndc (lam . -
Omrotc dommjancta
Mam maw Davictatc
iimmi rms
pfmipima,
lid, matc/rmriosij^ima, m^
wrorvhmorum, codola-^
tio mofatorum, via crrarv
tiuz
y-cm Jucas iodlmia m
195. SPANISH SCRIPT FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 18i
•"■^ '. jCcoon^illa liana:-'
Oscnoi con Summaoeuocion.con
aDiasa2)0 anioi, con todo miafecro
rie 2>cssco\)orccc&ii:como inuuos
Saarosvoeuotas pcisonas reocssca
;on en la comunion:c]uc rcooiaoa
ion mui niucno cnla Sanrioaoocsu-
A/ioa y aiuicion -jeuocion o^oennssi
ma. Osios mio.amou^
rrii^nonrj
C
(V I
Jian. jLucaSc-Jo c<ljsai
uia CyTi 'Maduo ano
- '. S^ <^ L'^OL :
196. SPANISH CURSIVE FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577
188 ITALIC AND SCRIPT
O XJ m A 'NfT'T' ^ simple type of Spanish
^^*— ^^^-'— >^ capital Script letter is shown
oA.nihonyJlO'pe i'^ 201, while a corresponding
n:>r\TyrTi'-r^ r^ a\rrr ^"^^^^ letter, redrawn from a
KUBLEJ0KAJ\GE Spanish source, is illustrated
* ,^J^^ ^^^Tti in 202. It should be noted in
lower lines are further removed
197. MODERN AMERICAN TITLES
CLAUDE FAYETTE BRAGDON ixom thc Ordinary writing hand
and are more interesting than
the letters in the three upper lines.
The French artists and engravers were, as has been said,
among the first to appreciate the qualities of Script, and used
it in many of their engraved title-pages, especially during
the reigns of Louis xv. and xvi. Figure 199 shows a set
of French Script capitals of the time of Louis xv., highly
flourished but more formal than those shown in 201.
A form of Script very nearly allied to the Italic was
frequently used for the lettering on headstones and wall
tombs in the churches and churchyards of England. Figure
203, in which the lettering is
taken from a tomb in West-
y
minster Abbey, illustrates this
A set of Script small letters ^U^Ol J O^ J^
with some unusual character-
istics, adapted by Hrachowlna
from the German Renaissance ff^;0^£)„ f^^rli.
lorm shown m outhne in 192,
is exhibited as a solid letter in
198. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
ngure 200. GEORGE WHARTON EDWARDS
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 189
cIcS (?£)(?
ap^f^<f
199. FRENXH SCRIPT CAPITALS 18th CENTURY. F. C. B.
190 ITALIC AND SCRIPT
Q^ai^cdef
riiikL
mn
opqr/stiL^
Tf^OC
ttJ/ijf^
200. GERMAN SCRIPT AFTER HRACHOWINA 18th CENTURY
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 191
201. SPANISH SCRIPT CAPITALS EARLY 18th CENTURY. F. C. B.
192 ITALIC AND SCRIPT
202. SPANISH SCRIPT ALPHABETS LATE 17th CENTURY. F. C. B.
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 193
203. ENGLISH INCISED SCRIPT FROM INSCRIPTIONS. F. C. B.
194
ITALIC AND SCRIPT
Among modern American
designers, Mr. Bruce Rogers has
admirably succeeded in catching
the French and Georgian spirit
in his treatment of the Script
characters ; yet, nevertheless,
his lettering in this style is still
modern in feeling. In the title
from a book cover, 204, Mr.
Rogers has allowed himself just
the proper amount of interlace-
ment and flourishing — both of
which require the restraint of a
subtle taste or the result may
prove to be over-elaborate. The
page of lettering by the same
designer, shown in 205, is a
successful solution of a difficult
problem, and, together with
the book cover, will serve to
exhibit the possibilities of this style of Script.
Mr. George Wharton Edwards is another modern
designer who has a penchant for the Script form. He uses
one distinctive and personal style of it in which the larger
letters are formed by two black lines separated by a narrow
white space, as exhibited in 198.
The lines from an advertisement, 197, by Mr. Claude
Fayette Bragdon, in which Script, Italic and Roman letters
are combined, are of especial interest from the easy man-
ner in which the three different styles have been adapted
to each other and made to harmonize in one small panel,
204. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
BRUCE ROGERS
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 195
c6aractmzsJ^SeA
^ Tmh xo^2> tim&.
Ot
os^mj^
205. MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT
BRUCE ROGERS
196 ITALIC AND SCRIPT
20G. MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT AFTER FRANK HAZENPLUG
ITALIC AND SCRIPT 197
ITALIC
LEffEKS
^BCDEFGHI
JKLMWPa
HSfUVWXY
WJfIZS
207. MODERN AMERICAN ITALIC CAPITALS F.C. B.
198
ITALIC AND SCRIPT
while still preserving an appropriate Georgian aspect.
The interlacement and flourishing, too, are handled with
commendable restraint.
208. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
ANONYMOUS
Few modern artists have so successfully treated Italic
capitals with Script freedom as Mr. Will Bradley. Some-
times employing forms of Italic capitals and small letters
little removed from type, he will again give us an example
of his handiwork in which Italic is used with examplary
freedom, as is shown in the specimen from a book cata-
logue, 109. The modern trick of wide spacing often lends
itself aptly to the swing and freedom of the swashed and
flourished lines of Script, as may be seen in figure 207.
209. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE
EDWARD PENFIELD
An excellent modern Script letter, adapted from a design
by Mr. Frank Hazenplug, is shown in 206. Its heavy face
and originality of form make it a useful and pleasing variant.
The magazine heading, by an anonymous designer, 208,
and the line from the pen of Mr. Edward Penfield, 209^
suggest still other useful varieties of the Script form.
CHAPTER V
TO THE BEGINNER
The beginner in any art or craft is likely to have an undue
respect for the mere instruments of his trade. He will
eventually learn that tools play a much less important part
in his work than he at first thinks ; but, as it is unlikely
that any sudden change in human nature will occur, it
seems as well to devote here some consideration to the
tools which the student will always believe to be an impor-
tant part of his equipment. He will ultimately ascertain for
himself what is best adapted to his own individual needs.
Though every draughtsman will recommend a pen that
he has discovered to be especially suitable for his own use,
few will be found to agree. Perhaps it is safe to say,
however, that the best all-round pen for lettering is the
Gillot No. 303. It is not too sharp, and when broken
in is flexible and easy. The crowquill pen will be found
of little use. It is an advantage to have at hand a large
coarse pen of little flexibility and smooth point for drawing
hea\'y lines of even width. In using water-color in place
of ink such a pen will be found more satisfactory than the
Gillot 303, as the thinness of the fluid causes the line
to spread whenever pressure is applied to a limber and
finely pointed pen, with the result that the line is not only
broadened, but when dry shows darker than was intended,
as more color is deposited than in a narrow line. When a
200 TO THE BEGINNER
narrow line of even width and sharpness is desired it is
best to use a new pen ; an older pen will, on the other
hand, allow of more ease in swelling and broadening the
line under pressure. A thin dry line may be obtained by
turning the pen over and drawing with the back of the nib,
although if the pen so used be worn it is apt to have a
"burr" over the point that may prevent its working satis-
factorily in this way. A new hard pen is likely to be the
cause of a "niggling" line; a too limber one of a careless
or undesirably broad line. On rare occasions, and for
obtaining certain effects, a stub pen may be found of value,
but it cannot be recommended to the beginner, as it is very
difficult to find one that has sufficient flexibility of nib.
Quill pens are undoubtedly useful in drawing a few types
of letters (see some of the designs by Mr. Walter Crane
shown in previous pages, for examples) but, not to allude to
the difficulty of properly pointing a quill, which seems to be
a well-nigh lost art nowadays, the instrument possesses so
many annoying peculiarities that it is as well to avoid its
use until a satisfactory command over the more dependable
steel pens has been obtained.
A pencil is, of course, a necessity in laying out the first
scheme for lettering. The softer the pencil the more felic-
itous will the composition seem ; but the beginner should
guard against being too easily pleased with the effect thus
obtained, as it is often due to the deceptive indefiniteness
of line and pleasant gray tone. When inked-in, in uncom-
promising black against the white paper, the draughtsman
is apt to find that his sketch has developed many an imper-
fection, both in composition and in individual letter shapes,
that the vague pencil lines did not reveal.
TO THE BEGINNER 201
As to paper, Bristol-board has the best smooth surface
for lettering. The English board is in some ways better
than the American, but has the disadvantage of being made
in smaller sheets. The difficulty with any smooth board h
that erasures, even of pencil lines, are likely to spoil its
surface. The rough " Strathmore " American board has a
very grateful surface upon which the pen may be used with
almost as much freedom as the pencil. All rough surfaces,
however, while tending to promote interesting lines, are not
suited for careful lettering, and the classic and Italian forms
especially require to be drawn upon the smoothest possible
surface. The American *' Strathmore " board may also be
obtained in smooth finish j and, indeed, is less injured by
erasures than most Bristol-boards.
The prepared India or carbon inks such as " Higgin's "
or "Carter's" are best for the. beginner; although all
prepared inks have a tendency to get muddy if allowed
to stand open, and the so-called "waterproof" inks are
easily smudged.
In devising a panel of lettering, such as a title-page for
example, the draughtsman's first step would naturally be to
sketch out the whole design at a very small size, say an
inch and a half high, in pencil. This small sketch should
determine, first, the general balance of the page ; second,
the inter-relations and spacings of the various lines and
words and their relative importance and sizes. From this
thumb-nail sketch the design should be drawn out at full
size in pencil, and much more carefully. In this redrawing
the separate letter shapes and their harmonious relations to
each other should be determmed, and such deviations made
from the smaller sketch as seem to benefit the effect.
202 TO THE BEGINNER
Some draughtsmen sketch out each line of lettering sepa-
rately on thin paper, and then, after blackening the back of
this sheet, lay each line over the place where it is needed
in the design, tracing the outlines of the letters with a hard
point, and thus transferring them to the design beneath.
In this way a page of lettering may be studied out line by
line, and accurately placed or centered ; but the process is
tedious, and there is always danger of losing sight of the
effect as a whole.
In outlining letters which are ultimately intended to be
solidly blacked-in, the beginner should guard against making
his outlines too wide, especially as regards the thin lines,
for the eye in judging an outline sketch follows the insides J
of the bounding lines rather than the outsides which will
really be the outlines of the blacked-in letter, so that when
finished the letter is likely to look heavier and more clumsy
than in the sketch.
When the entire pencil scheme seems satisfactory in
every detail, and each line has been exactly determined, the
whole should be carefully inked-in. In inking-in letters
the swing of the arm should be as free and unobstructed as
possible. For the best result it is absolutely necessary to
work at a wide board on a solid table of convenient height
and angle. It is impossible to letter well in a cramped or
unsteady position. One thing cannot be too strongly urged
upon the beginner. Never use a T-square, triangle or
ruling pen in inking-in lettering. It will be found ulti-
mately much easier to train hand and eye to make a straight
and true line free-hand than to attempt to satisfactoril)
combine a ruled and free-hand line. The free-hand
method is, be it acknowledged, both more lengthy and
TO THE BEGINNER 203
difficult at first, but when the draughtsman does finally
gain a mastery over his line he has achieved something
which he will find of the greatest value.
In a drawing to be reproduced by mechanical processes,
the proportions of the design are, of course, unalterably
determined by the required panel or page ; but the size of
the draiving may be such as best suits the inclination and
convenience of the draughtsman. If the drawing is to be
reduced in size (and that is the usual method, because, in
general, it is easier to draw large rather than small), the
draughtsman must first decide on the amount of reduction
to which his style of rendering and the subject itself are
best adapted, remembering, however, that a drawing is sure
to suffer from excessive reduction, not only in general
effect but in interest, for the quality of the line is sure in a
measure to disappear. A reduction of height or width by
one-third is the usual amount ; but many of our modern
designers obtain their best effects by making their drawings
but a trifle larger than the required reproduction. Some
even make their drawings of the same size ; others only
from a twelfth to a sixth larger. As a rule, the less the
reduction the less the departure from the effect of the
original, and the more certainly satisfactory the result,
although more careful drawing and greater exactness of
line are necessary.
To keep the outlines of a panel in the same proportion
while enlarging its area for the purpose of making a draw-
ing for reproduction, lay out the rc(\mreA Jintshed size of the
panel near the upper left hand corner of the paper, and draw
a diagonal line through the upper left hand and lower right
hand corner of this panel, extending it beyond the panel
204
TO THE BEGINNER
210. DIAGRAM TO SHOW METHOD
OF ENLARGING A PANEL
boundaries. From any given
point along this diagonal, lines
drawn parallel to the side and
top lines of the original panel,
and extended till they intersect
the extended left side line and
top line of the original panel,
will give an outline of the same
proportions as the required
panel. By taking various
points on the diagonal, panels
of any height or width but still
of the proper proportions may
be obtained (see diagram 210).
Diagram 211 illustrates a vari-
ation of the previous method
of enlarging the proportions of a panel, in which, by the
use of two diagonals, both perpendicular and horizontal
center lines are retained.
When it is necessary to lay out a Dorder of a predeter-
mined width within the required panel, the foregoing method
can only be used to determine the outiide lines of such a
border, and it becomes necessary to make the drawing some
numerical proportion, say, one-half as large again, or twice
as large as the finished panel. The width of the border
will then be of the same proportionate width.
The beginner will find it always wise to base his lettering
on penciled top and bottom guide lines, and occasionally to
add "waist" guide lines, as in 193. Indeed, it is rare that
even accomplished letterers dispense with these simple aids.
These guide lines should invariably be laid-in with the
TO THE BEGINNER
205
211. DIAGRAM TO SHOW METHOD
OF ENLARGING A PANEL
T-square and triangle. After
drawing the horizontal guides,
it is often advisable to run a
few perpendicular lines up and
down the paper, which will
serve to guard against the very
common likelihood of the
letters acquiring a tilt. In
drawing Italic, Script, and all
sloping letters, numerous slop-
ing guide lines are especially
necessary; see 193. Perpen-
dicular guide lines will be
found of marked assistance,
also in drawing Gothic small
letters, which, as they do not
come against the top and bottom guide lines squarely, but
at an angle, are often deceptive.
If it is desirable to make two lines of lettering of the
same length, although they contain an unequal number of
letters, this may be effected — provided, of course, that the
number of letters does not vary too greatly — by broaden-
ing or narrowing the letters that occur in one line but not
in the other, and by varying the spacings about the I's and
the open letters. Note, for example, the spacing of the
upper lines in the poster by Mr. Crane, 87. It is by no
means essential to draw the same letter always exactly
alike even in the same line; in fact, variation is generally
demanded by the different surroundings and neighboring
letters. So long as the general character of the letter
remains unchanged in its distinctive features, such as weight.
206 TO THE BEGINNER
treatment of serifs, angles, height of waist and cross lines,
etc., its width and outlines may be varied and arranged to
help out the spacing without interfering, to any noticeable
extent, with the uniform appearance of the line.
In Roman lettering emphasis may be obtained for any
special word by spacing its letters farther apart. This has
something of the same emphasizing effect as the use of
Italic, without so greatly breaking the harmony of the line.
Much of the lettering of the Italian Renaissance shows
a very subtle appreciation of this use, and in some of the
most beautiful inscriptions the important words are often
so differentiated, while others are emphasized by slightly
larger characters.
As a general rule, and within certain limits, the wider a
letter the more legible it is likely to be. Blackness and
boldness of stem alone will not make a letter readable.
Width, boldness of hair lines and serifs, and a proper
amount of surrounding white space are more essential.
The Roman letter is more legible than the Blackletter
mainly because it is black against a roomy white ground ;
while Blackletter, on the contrary, is really defined by small
interrupted areas of whites upon a black ground.
A common limitation of many draughtsmen is that they
become accomplished in the rendering of but one style of
letter, and find themselves obliged to use it on all occa-
sions, whether it be suited to the work in hand or not,
because they can command no other. In the case of
certain designers, of course, the individuality of their work
is strong enough to bind both lettering and design so
closely together that they can never seem at dissonance;
but, speaking generally, the adherance to the use of but
TO THE BEGINNER 207
one type of letter can be but narrowing. The beginner
is urged, therefore, to practice the use of many styles, even
at the expense of gaining an immediate mastery over no
one form. He will find himself amply repaid in the end
by the increase in freedom and variety.
While the student should possess enough knowledge of
the historic styles and examples of lettering to prevent
him from using; incongruous or anachronous forms in the
same design, historic accuracy need not prevent him from
engrafting the characteristics of dissimilar styles upon one
another, provided that the results prove harmonious and
appropriate.
Finally, the draughtsman's first aim should be to make
his lettering readable : after this has been accomplished he
should strive to give it beauty. Art in lettering is only to
be attained by solving the problem of legibility in the way
most pleasing to the eye. Good lettering should appeal
both to the eye and to the mind. Only when it combines
legibility with beauty can it be excellent.
INDEX
A., 6, 9.
Abbey, Edwin A., 97, 132,
140.
Accenting, of Blackletters, 132;
of Roman Capitals, 2 ; of
Minuscules, 56; of Round
Gothic, 132; of Italic and
Script, 182.
American Lettering, Modern
Roman, 53, 64, 75, 82, 97;
Classic Roman, 3,14; Gothic,
132, 136, 140, 142; Italic,
194, 198; Script, 194, 198.
Anglo-Saxon Letters, 46, 47 ;
modern use of, 46.
Ascenders, height above body,
57; in "Cheltenham Old
Style" type, 71; in Gothic,
I 3 I ; in Blackletters, 135,
Ashbee, C. R., 74.
Auriol, George, 88.
B., 6.
Badia, Florence, lettering from,
45-
Bell, Robert Anning, 96.
Blacked-in letters, 202.
Blackletters, 127,131,132,140,
141, 142; accents of, 132;
ascenders and descenders of,
135; capitals for use with,
134, 136, 139; a condensed
form of Gothic, 128; construc-
tion of, 132, 141; definition
of, 128, 13 I; effect of page
ot, 132; with Roman letters,
72 ; even color of, 134; flour-
ishes, 135; individual letter
forms, 132, 136; illegibility
ot, 135, 136, 206; a part-
Roman form, 84 ; a narrow
form, 132; old examples of,
136; in panel forms, 136;
used solidly, 134, 135; spac-
ing of, 134, 136; variety of,
82, 132, 135, 136.
Bonnard, Pierre, 91, 92.
Border, to lay out a, 204.
Boston Public Library, 14.
Bragdon, Claude Fayette, 64,
III, 194.
Brasses, Blackletters from, 138,
140.
Bridwell, H. L., 8, 112,
Bristol-board, 201.
Byzantine influence on Italian
lettering, 45.
C, 8.
Capitals, used with Roman min-
uscules, 57; with Round
Gothic, 132; with Blacklet-
ters, 136, 139; (see also
under Blackletter, Roman,
Gothicjitalic, Modern Roman
Capitals, Script, Round
Gothic, Uncial).
"Caroline" Text, 52.
210
INDEX
Caslon, William, 64; his tvpe.
Centering lines of lettering, 202.
Charlemagne, 52.
"Cheltenham Old Style" type,
71-
Cheltenham Press, The, 7 if.
Chisel-cut guide lines, 3.
Classic Capitals, see Roman
Capitals.
Classic forms of letters, to draw,
3, 6, 20 I ; composition of, 6 ;
Italian Renaissance, 15, 27,
30-
"Colonial" lettering, 117.
Constantine, Arch of, lettering
from ,11.
Construction, of Blackletters,
132; of Roman Capitals, 3,
6 ; of Roman Minuscules,
53» 56.
Craig, Gordon, 95, 96.
Crane, Walter, 47,92,200, 205.
Cross-bar in Roman Capitals, 6.
"Cursive" Letters, 91, 122.
Cursive tendency in Script let-
tering, 182.
D., 8.
' Dance of Death,' Holbein's,
117.
Day, Lewis F., 93.
Descenders, (see Ascenders).
De Vinne, Theo. L., 69.
Dove's Press, The, 69.
Drawing of letters, 201, 202,
205; for reproduction, 203,
204.
Diirer, Albrecht, 31, 132, 138,
141.
E., 6, 104.
Early Gothic, (see Round
Gothic).
Early Printing, 52, 64, 71.
Edwards, Edward B., 116.
Edwards, George Wharton, 194.
Emphasis in lettering, placing of,
206 (see also Accenting).
English Brasses derived from
Flanders, 141.
English Gothic, 140, 141.
English lettering, modern, 75,
82, 92.
English, Letters, 47 ; Script, 188,
(see also Anglo-Saxon).
Engraved Title-pages, French,
188.
Enlarging Drawings, 203, 204.
F. , 6, 104.
f., 56.
Fell, H. Granville, 96.
Flanders, Brasses from, 141.
Flourishing, of Blackletters, 135;
of Script, 194, 198.
Free-hand lines, 202.
French, modern lettering, 74,
82, 86; Script, 188, 194.
Freedom, in lettering, 53, 74,
82, 92, 102, 118, 122, 201;
in Blackletters, 136; in Goth-
ic, 127; in Italic, 198; in
kerns, serifs and swash-lines,
etc. , 53; in Roman letters,
82 ; in Script, 183.
G., 8.
g-. 57;
Georgian English lettering, i i 7,
183, 194, 198.
INDEX
211
German lettering, modern, 74,
82, 84, 92 ; early, l 10, I I 7;
Script, 52, 188; types, 52.
Goodhue, Bertram Grosvenor,
71, 102, 1 36, 142.
Gothic Capitals, for use with
Blackletters, 139; pen drawn,
1 40 ; not to be used to form
words, 132.
Gothic, English, (see English
Gothic).
Gothic lettering, 127, 131,1 34,
205 ; cut in stone, 140; (see
also Blackletters and Uncial).
Granite, letters cut in, 11, 14,
(see also Stone-cut, V-sunk
and Incised).
Grasset, Eugene, 86.
Greek type, 73.
Grolier Club, 69.
Guide-lines, 3, 204.
H., 6.
"Half-Uncial," 52.
Harvard Architectural Building,
lettering on, 14.
Hazenplug, Frank, 116, 198.
Historic styles^ of lettering,
knowledge of, 207.
Holbein's 'Dance of Death'
initials, i i 7.
Home, Herbert P., 72.
Hrachowina, C, 188.
Hupp, Otto, 142.
I., 8, 9 ; space around, 205.
Illegibility of Blackletters, 135,
136.
Image, Selwyn, 73, 93.
Incised letters in stone, Gothic.
139, 140; Classic Roman, 9,
14, 45 ; (see also Granite,
Inlaid, Marble, Sandstone,
V-sunk and Stone-cut).
Ink, 201.
Inking-in lettering, 200, 202.
Inlaid lettering, Gothic, 141.
Interlacement of Script letters,
194.
Inter-relation of letters, 6, i':5,
201.
lorio, Adrian}., 107.
Irish letters, (see Anglo-Saxon).
Italian, Blackletters, 139, 141;
modern lettering, 92 • 5lenais-
sance (see Renaissance"- Ro-
man small letters, 64 ; types,
52 ; writing-books, 64, 183 ;
letters, drawing of, 201.
Italic, 52, 182, 188, 194, 198;
capitals, 182, 198; drawing
of, 205 ; emphasis of, 206.
J., 8.
j., 56.
Jenson, Nicholas, 64.
Jones, A. Garth, 96.
K., 6.
k., 56.
Kerns, 53, 56.
Kimball, H. Ingalls, 71.
L., 104.
Late Gothic, (see Blackletter) .
Laying out, lettering, 200, 201,
203, 204, 205; a border, 204.
Le Boutillier, Addison B., iio.
212
INDEX
Legibility of lettering, 206, 207;
of Round Gothic, 132.
Letters, outlines of, 202, 206 ;
widths of, 206 ; to lay out,
205 ; execution of in various
materials, 14; (see also
Brasses, Inlaid, Marble, Gran-
ite, Pen and Printed forms.
Sandstone, Type).
Lines, heavy, 199; narrow, 199;
thin, 200; in water -color,
200 ; freehand, 202, 203 ;
ruled, 202.
Linking, of Blackletters, 136;
of Round Gothic, 132; of
Roman Capitals, 45; of Script,
182.
Lowell, Orson, 1 1 7.
M., 2, 28.
m., 56.
Marble, letters cut in, 17, 27,
(see also Incised, Inlaid).
Marsuppini tomb, Florence, 28.
Magonigle, H. Van Buren, 102.
McKim, Mead & White, archi-
tects, 14.
Medals, lettering on, 30.
Merry mount Press, The, 71,72.
«' Merrymount " type, 71.
Minuscule, i ; modern Roman,
52, 53, 56, 57, 64; monu-
mental uses, 57; composition
of, 64; growing use of, 76,
122; spacing of, 57; (see
also, Roman, Gothic, Italic,
Script).
Modern lettering, (see under
countries, American, English,
French, German, Italian).
Modern Roman Capitals, 6 ;
(see Chapter II).
Modern type, (see Type).
"Montaigne" type, 69.
"Mont' Allegro" type, ']-3^.
Moore, Guernsey, 116.
Morris, William, 72; types of,
69.
Mucha, Alphons M., 91.
N., 2.
Netherlands, brasses from, 141.
New, Edmund H., 96.
Nicholson, William, 95.
O., 8, 182.
O., 182
Optical Illusions in Roman Capi-
tals, 8.
Outline letters, 202,
P., 6.
Pantheon, Rome, Raphael's
tomb, 27.
Papers, drawing, 20 1.
Parchment, 128.
Parrish, Maxlield, I 10, 122.
Parsons, Alfred, 96.
Pens, 199, 201; crowquill, 199;
reed, 2; ruling, 202; stub,
200 ; quill, 200.
Pen drawn forms of letters, 9,
27» 3O' 31. 45' 56, 64, 74,
76, 122, 140, 182, 199, 202.
Pencils, 200, 201.
Penfield, Edward, 1 00, 1 16,
118, 198.
Petrarch, 5 2 ; handwriting of,
182.
Pisano, Vittore, 30.
INDEX
213
"Post Old Style" type, Ii6.
Presses, (see Merrymount,\ ale.
Riverside, Cheltenham,
Dove's, and De Vinne).
Printed forms of Roman letters,
9, 30, 52, 53, 56, 64, 69,
I 22.
Printers, German, 52; Italian,
5 2, 64 ; American, 69 ; Eng-
lish, 64, 69, 72, 73; Vene-
tian, 53, 64.
Proportions of a design, 203.
Puttner, Walter, 142.
Pyle, Howard, 117.
Q^, 2, 8, 92.
<' Quadrigesimale," 69.
Quill pens, 200; method of
holding, 2, 131.
R., 2, 6, 8.
Railton, Herbert, 96.
Raphael's tomb, lettering from,
27- _
Reduction of drawings, 203, 204.
Renaissance, letters, 15, 27, 30;
artists of the, 53 ; lettering of
the Italian, 206; medals, 30;
purity of letter shapes, 69.
Renner, 69.
Renner type, 69.
Reproduction ot drawings, 203.
Ricketts, Charles, 93.
Riverside Press, The, 69.
Rogers, Bruce, 69, 194.
Roman Capitals, i, 27; (see
also Modern Roman); thick
and thin lines of, 1,6; model
for, 3 ; rules for, 2 ; square-
ness of, I, 6, 131; peculiar-
ities of, 6, 8.
Roman letters, 127, 136; with
Italic, 182; combined with
Script and Italic, 194; cross
bars of, 6 ; definition of, I ;
legibility of, 206 ; waist lines
of, 6 ; width proportions of, 6.
Roman minuscules, (see Minus-
cule).
Roman forms, Gothic Spirit in,
84; Uncial, 128,!
Romanesque influence on Italian
lettering, 45,
Ross, Albert R., 3, 11,32, 56.
Roty, O., 30.
Round Gothic, analysis of, I 3 I ;
definition ot, i 3 i ; capitals to
use with, 132, 139.
Round letters, capitals, 2, 3 ;
Minuscules, 56, 71 ; stone-
cut, 3, 9.
Rubbings, from inscriptions, 1 1 ,
16.
Ruling pen, 202,
S., 8.
Sandstone, letters cut in, 14.
Santa Croce, Florence, lettering
from, 28, 141.
Script, 182, 183, 188, 194,
198; capitals, 188; cursive
tendency in, 182; developed
from writing hands, 182;
drawing of, 205; French,
188; German, 188; on Eng-
lish headstones and wall tombs,
188; Spanish, 188; used in
engravangs, 188; used with
upright Roman, 182, 183.
214
INDEX
II, 32.
letters, 10,
93-
Serifs, 8, 16; definition of, 3;
in Minuscule letters, 53, 69,
71; in Italic letters, 182;
treatment of, 206.
Serlio, Sebastian, 3,
Shadows in V-sunk
II, 14.
Shaw, Byam, 96.
Simpson, Joseph W.
Small letters, (see Minuscule,
also Modern Roman, Gothic,
Script and Italic).
Spacing, of Classic Roman let-
ters, 6, 8 ; of Blackletters,
128, 134, 136; of Minus-
cules, 53, 56, 57; of type,
56; of "Montague" type,
69; of "Cheltenham" type,
7 1 ; of letters and words, 201 ,
205 ; emphasis obtained by,
206.
Spanish, Script, 188; Roman
letters, 64; writing-books,
64, 183.
Stone-cut letters, Roman, 3, 9,
14; (see also Incised, V-sunk,
Granite, Marble, Sandstone).
Sullivan, James F., 96.
Swash lines, 2, 53, 136.
T., 8, 28.
Tagliente, G. A., 31.
Thompson, Hugn, 96.
Tory, Geoffrey, 31.
Townsend, Harry Everett, i I 7*
, Transferring of lettering, 202.
Type, 9, 52, 64, 74.
Type-founders, 9, 56, 64.
Type models for pen lettering,
use of, 74, 76, I 22.
Uncial letters, 45, '](i, 84, 92;
128; Gothic, 139; meta.
forms of, 140; pen forms ot,
140; stone-cut, 140; stone
and marble, 139.
Updike, D. Berkeley, 71.
v., 9.
Vale Press, The, 93.
Van Rysselberghe, Theo., 91.
Venetian printers, 53, 64.
Verneuil, M. P., 86.
Vinci, Leonardo da, 3 i .
V-sunk Roman lettering, 9, 10,
14; (see also Incised).
W., 9.
w., 56.
Waist lines, 6, 204 ; of Roman
letters, 6, 204, 206.
Westminster Abbey, England,
188.
Width proportions, of Roman
Capital letters, 6.
Writing-books, 64, 183.
Writing hand, 188; of Petrarch,
182; Script developed from,
182.
X., 6.
Y., 6.
y., 56.
Z., 2.
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