ITALIC AND 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.
[Illustration: 192. GERMAN ITALIC. GOTTLIEB MUNCH, 1744]
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, however, 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 of 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 [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 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 copybooks, contain many specimens
of beautiful Script, both capitals and small letters. Figures 193 to 196
show pages from such books published in Spain.
[Illustration: 193. SPANISH SCRIPT. TORQUATO TORIO, 1802]
[Illustration: 194. SPANISH SCRIPTS. TORQUATO TORIO, 1802]
[Illustration: 195. SPANISH SCRIPT. FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577]
[Illustration: 196. SPANISH CURSIVE. FRANCISCO LUCAS, 1577]
[188]
A simple type of Spanish capital Script letter is shown in 201, while a
corresponding small letter, redrawn from a Spanish source, is illustrated
in 202. It should be noted in the latter figure that the three lower lines
are further removed from the ordinary writing hand and are more interesting
than the letters in the three upper lines.
[Illustration: 197. MODERN AMERICAN TITLES. CLAUDE FAYETTE BRAGDON]
[Illustration: 198. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. GEORGE WHARTON EDWARDS]
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
Westminster Abbey, illustrates this style of Script.
A set of Script small letters with some unusual characteristics, adapted by
Hrachowina from the German Renaissance form shown in outline in 192, is
exhibited as a solid letter in figure 200.
[Illustration: 199. FRENCH SCRIPT CAPITALS. 18th CENTURY. F. C. B.]
[Illustration: 200. GERMAN SCRIPT AFTER HRACHOWINA. 18th CENTURY.]
[Illustration: 201. SPANISH SCRIPT CAPITALS. EARLY 18th CENTURY. F. C. B.]
[Illustration: 202. SPANISH SCRIPT ALPHABETS. LATE 17th CENTURY. F. C. B.]
[Illustration: 203. ENGLISH INCISED SCRIPT. FROM INSCRIPTIONS. F. C. B.]
[194]
[Illustration: 204. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. BRUCE ROGERS]
[Illustration: 205. MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT. BRUCE ROGERS]
[Illustration: 206. MODERN AMERICAN SCRIPT. AFTER FRANK HAZENPLUG]
[Illustration: 207. MODERN AMERICAN ITALIC CAPITALS. F. C. B.]
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 interlacement 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 manner in which the three different styles have been
adapted to each other and made to harmonize in one small panel, [198] while
still preserving an appropriate Georgian aspect. The interlacement and
flourishing, too, are handled with commendable restraint.
Few modern artists have so successfully treated Italic capitals with Script
freedom as Mr. Will Bradley. Sometimes 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 catalogue, 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.
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.
[Illustration: 208. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. ANONYMOUS]
[Illustration: 209. MODERN AMERICAN TITLE. EDWARD PENFIELD]
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.
[199]
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