Volume 12–4 (Low Res).pdf - U&lc

16
reader than it does today. Particular styles
of type were reserved for particular
groups of readers. Aldus was not so
much trying to save space, as appeal to
the educated, worldly and wealthy.
Aldus italic evolved from a
popular writing style of the educated. Its
heritage can be traced back to Niccolo
de Niccoli, an Italian scholar of the early
15th century. De Niccoli started to
oblique and add flourish to his letters
when, it is said, "he wished to write in a
faster, more relaxed fashion than usual."
By mid-century other scholars began to
imitate his writing style, and by the late
1400s italic became the official writing
style of the learned and professional
scribes of southern Italy. In fact, it came
to be called cancellaresca because of the
amount of work done in this hand for
the city chancelleries.
The cursive style of writing had
been developed by the same scholars
and learned government officials for
whom Aldus created his books. In adapt-
ing it to print, he and Griffo were making
their books more comfortable for their
intended audience. Today, we would call
this creative marketing. The important
thing is that Aldus took a somewhat
exclusive writing style (almost an art
form) and turned it into a typeface—a
product that would appeal to, and benefit,
a growing and eager audience.
Like any astute business person,
Aldus was very aware of the potential
value of this product. And in an effort to
defend his exclusive right to use it, he
sought the first known privileges on an
entire type style. This was breaking new
ground; previously only specific titles
were protected, but Aldus had friends in
high places. In 1502, the Venetian senate
granted his italics official protection. Not
satisfied, Aldus sought additional, and
what he believed was maximum, security
from theft. He even had his types
protected by papal decree. Aldus was
one of the best protected publishers and
type developers of his time, and perhaps
for all time.
Unfortunately this was to little
avail. Aldus' italics were almost immediately
copied. First by Griffo, who felt that
the design was, after all, his; and later
by contemporary Italian and French
printers. The Italians called the design
`Aldino," at least referring to its originator.
POLIPHILO INCOMINCIA IL SECONDO LIBR.0 DI
LA SVA HYPNEROTOMACHIA . NEL 0,VALE PO ,
LIA ET LVI DISER.TABONDI , IN QYALE MODO ET
VAR.I0 CAS 0 NAR.R.ANO INTERCALARIAMEN-
TE IL SVO INAMOR.AMENTO.
NARRA czynn LA DIVA POLIA LA NOBILE ET
ANTIQVA ORIGINE S VA,ET COMO PER LI NUDE
CESSORI SVI TR.IVISIO FVE EDIFICATO.ET DI QV EL
LA GENTE LELIA ORIVNDA . ET PER QyALE MO ,
DO DISAVEDVTA ET INS CIA DISCONCIAMENTE
SE INAMOR.OE DI LEI IL SVO DILECTO POLIPHILO.
c EMIE DEBILE VOCE TALE 0 GR.A
tiofe 8c diue Nymphe abfone peruenera'no &
inconcine alla uoltra benigna audietia , quale
laterrifica raucitate del urinante Efacho al fua ,
tic canto dela piangeuole Philomela. Nondi
meno uolendo io cum tuti gli mei exili co na,
ti del intelleeto,& cum la mia paucula fu ffici6
tia di fatifGre alle uoflre piaceuole petitions,
non rift= al potere.Lequale femota qualaque hefitationc epfepiu che
fi co ngruerebbe altro nde,dignamente meritan.o piu uberrimo fluuio di
eloquentia,cumtroppo piu rotunda elegantia &cum piu exornata poli
tura di pro n fitiato,che in me per alcuno pa6to non fi troua, di e6feguire
11 fuo gratiofo afl'eeto.Maauui Celibe Nymphe & adme alquato, quan.
niche& co nfufa & incomptamete fringulti6te haro in qu alch e portiun'
culagratificato affai. Quando uoluntarofa 8c diuota a gli defii uoflri &
po flulato me preflaro piu preflo cum lanimo no mediocre prompt.) hu'
mile parendo,che cum enucleataterfa,& uenuftaeloquentia plac'eclo.La
prifca dung ue 8c ueterrima geneologia,& pro fapia,8c it fatale mio amore
garrulando ordire.Onde giaeffendo nel uottro uenerando conuentu ale
co nfpcdo,8c uedermeoeriIs & ieiuna di eloquio & ad tanto preftSte & di
uo ceto di uui 0 Nymphe fed ule famularie dil accefo cupid ine.Et Iran,
8c facro fito,di fincereaure 8c fiorigeri fpirami'
to benign° & delefteuole
ni affl ato.io acconciamente co mpulfo di afru mere uno uenerabileaufo,
8c tramp& timore de dire. D unqueauanteiituto uenia date, o bellifiv
me 8c bead ffi me Nymphe a queflo mio blgterare & agli femelli & terri ,
geni,8c pufilluli Co nati,fi ad uenc che in alch una parte io incautamente
Page of Hypnerotomacbia Pollphili. Aldus, Venice,1499
ALDUS
MANUTIUS
By others it was called, after Italy, "italic"
Where he could, Aldus fought those
who copied his design; some through
legal means, others through tough, aggressive
business tactics.
In both he was swift and ruthless.
Unfortunately, he was also for the
most part, unsuccessful. His italics became
the model for generations of cursive
designs. Aldus gave the typographic
community one of its most important
and beautiful tools—but not entirely
willingly.
For all Aldus' effort to protect
his italic font it is interesting that he
never sought to protect any of his roman
fonts. In fact, from his lack of promoting
the books that he set in these designs, it
can be gathered that he cared little for
them at all.
Perhaps this was because, with
few exceptions, in 15th century Italy
little work of importance was printed in
roman type. Most scholarly work was set
in Greek. (Aldus was very proud and
protective of his Greek type.)
He used his roman types seldom,
and only for pieces sponsored by
wealthy clients or academic friends.
Many of his roman types were, as a consequence,
considered rather poor in
design. All but one.
In February of 1496, Aldus published
an otherwise insignificant essay
by the Italian scholar, Pietro Bembo. The
type used for the text became popular
instantly and so famous that it influenced
typeface design for generations.
Posterity has come to regard the Bembo
type as Aldus' and Griffo's masterpiece.
The design was lighter and
more harmonious in weight than earlier
romans, making text set in it inviting, and
certainly easier to read. The basic design
was further enhanced by the introduction,
three years later, of a font of corresponding
capital letters (the Bembo
roman was initially produced as only a
lowercase font with capitals pulled from
other faces). The capitals are not quite as
tall as the ascenders and blend exceptionally
well with the lowercase. Bembo
has a more pronounced weight stress
than previous romans; it is more even in
color, and the serifs are lighter and more
delicate. Aldus' and Griffo's original Bembo
design begins to look like the romans we
use today. This face, which was modestly