Geometric construction of uppercase Roman letters

I am looking for treatises from the 15th and 16th centuries that provide instructions for geometrically constructing the capital letters of the alphabet. I have found these sources.
Do you have any suggestions on where to find more information?

Comments

  • Enjoy reading the works you already have and keep in mind that the very concept of “geometrical construction of Roman letters” is a misconception.
  • Enjoy reading the works you already have and keep in mind that the very concept of “geometrical construction of Roman letters” is a misconception.
    I know that it does not reflect reality and it is an idealizing reinterpretation widespread in the Renaissance, but I am only interested in comparing these reinterpretations  :)
  • John Savard
    John Savard Posts: 1,171
    edited June 9
    I'm not familiar enough with this subject to suggest additional resources of this nature - with the exception of the French Romain du Roi project as one you hadn't included. But then, it may not have been the sort of thing you were looking for.
    But this brings me to what I would be interested in: any attempts of that nature which also included the lowercase alphabet. After all, a typeface is hardly complete without it. Ah, I see the one by Ruano does address this, as well as giving constructions for other styles than Roman.
  • C.Fransen
    C.Fransen Posts: 12
    edited June 10
    I am looking for treatises from the 15th and 16th centuries that provide instructions for geometrically constructing the capital letters of the alphabet. I have found these sources...

    ...Do you have any suggestions on where to find more information?

    Hi Michele,

    In F.E. Blokland’s dissertation, On the Origin of Patterning in Movable Type: Renaissance Standardisation, Systematisation, and Unitisation of Textura and Roman Type, you may find relevant information in Appendix 8: Proportions of Capitals in Roman Type. Although it’s not a treatise from the 15th or 16th century (2016), it does address these.

    Appendice 7: Geometry in the Renaissance might be interesting as well.

    You'll find the link for this dissertation on his site in the first paragraph: https://www.lettermodel.org/index.html

    Cheers, Coen.

  • @C.Fransen Thanks.