ATELIER YINPRESSION
Fine Art latin Calligraphy by Ying
Welcome to the treasury of historical letterforms.
This guide traces the beautiful evolution of Western calligraphy.
You will journey from ancient Roman stone carvings to medieval manuscripts.
Take your time wandering through these timeless shapes.
*While the scripts are generally listed in order of the time they were used, different scripts may have developed simultaneously in different regions, so please understand that history cannot be represented by a single simple line.
This easy-to-read script was initially used for inscriptions carved on walls and monuments, but its excellent balance has led to its continued use in various situations today.
The inscription on the base of Trajan's Column, AD 107~113
roman capital
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It is known as square capital because of its almost square proportions and significant width in relation to its height. This script was written on paper using a reed pen, in contrast to Roman capitals, which are frequently carved into stone. Although it is a formal script, Roman capitals are a little more formal. Writing this script takes a lot of time because the pen point needs to be held at 0° horizontally and involves precise angle adjustments and pen manipulation.
modern, by Ying
square capital
'Rustic' means country-style. Often written with a brush. It is regarded as a more informal script than Roman capitals and square capital.
The Vergilius Romanus, f. 3r
rustic capital
The British Library Board, Papyrus 229.
Roman cursive can be divided into two styles:
old Roman cursive and new Roman cursive. Old Roman cursive was used from approximately the 1st to the 3rd centuries and is considered a majuscule script, while new Roman cursive appeared after the 3rd century and, unlike old Roman cursive, was considered a minuscule script. It influenced Insular minuscule and Merovingian script later. The most widely used script was Roman cursive, which was mostly written on papyrus and only a few texts have survived.
roman curisve
modern, by Ying
uncial
The term "uncial" is believed to mean "inch". One theory suggests it was named this way because the script was typically about one inch in height (2.54 cm), though there are not many manuscripts that confirm this size. The exact origin of the name remains unclear. Uncial is a rounded script that developed in North Africa between the 2nd and 3rd centuries and is thought to have been influenced by Greek script. The script plays an important role in the history of calligraphy. Many important texts have been passed down in this writing.
*The Prologue of Saint Jerome to the Book of Job
habeant qui volunt veteres libros, vel in membranis purpuris auro argento que descriptos, vel uncialibus, ut vulgo aiunt, litteris
the Ceolfrid Bible
artifical uncial
This script requires precise pen control, as the nib maintains a 0 ° angle. Although it superficially resembles square capitals, it is actually a variation of uncial script, which means that many of the letters are rounded.
If you're unsure whether to judge artificial uncial or square capitals, you can easily tell the difference by looking at the shape of the 'M' and 'E'. Artificial Uncial follows the uncial, so both the 'M' and 'E' are rounded, while square capital, a Roman script, has square 'M' and 'E'.
the Lindisfarne Gospels, Cotton MS Nero D IV, f. 40r
Also known as "half uncial" or "irish majuscule," this script features rounded letters that are written slowly and carefully, resulting in clearly defined characters. However, some letters may be challenging for modern readers to decipher. This script is typically used in luxurious manuscripts.
insular majuscule
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This script is very hard to read because of its long ascenders and descenders, along with many similarly-shaped letters and numerous variations and ligatures.
Book of Armagh, f. 154r
insular minuscule
Lectionnaire de Luxeuil, f. 9v
The provinces gained authority when the Roman Empire started to fall apart, and each region's language and writing system evolved separately. The Merovingian script developed in this context. It is one of the hardest scripts to read because of its close spacing, many ligatures, and variants. It was widely employed in the Merovingian dynasty of the Frankish Kingdom. It is distinguished by quick, erratic strokes and a high X-height.
merovingian script
The script used in the Iberian Peninsula from the 7th to the 13th centuries developed from half-uncial and Roman cursive script. It had two different styles: one was a meticulously written bookhand, and the other was a cursive style designed for quicker writing. This script was also referred to as 'littera toletana' in the past. The rise of the Carolingian script eventually led to its decline.
The British Library Board, Add. 11695, f. 194r.
visgothic script
The British Library Board, Add. 30337, f. 8r.
This script was used in southern Italy. An eighth-century manuscript found at the Abbey of Monte Cassino has the first known example of this script. It is thought that the name "Beneventan" comes from the mediaeval duchy "ducatus Beneventanus," not from the city. It evolved from the Roman Cursive script and is distinguished by its unique 't' ligature and 'a' shape, which resembles two 'c's linked together.
Beneventan script
The Carolingian minuscule was developed during the time of Charlemagne. The various regional scripts that emerged, such as Insular minuscule and Merovingian script, were often challenging to read. As a result, it was designed to produce a more readable script. This minuscule was the first script to be widely used in Western Europe after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. It continued to be used for a long time afterwards, greatly influencing later generations, including humanists and foundational hand.
TheMoutiers-Grandval Bible f. 7v
caroline minuscule/
carolingian minuscule
Emerging in the 12th century, this script represents a transitional phase in the gradual effort to compress letters horizontally in order to save valuable parchment. Before evolving into Gothic script, it was somewhat narrower than Caroline script but still retained a degree of roundness and was slightly wider than the typical Gothic script known as Gothic textura. Additionally, it is the first script to use both capital and lowercase letters, and it is also referred to as Early Gothic script.
The St Albans Psalter
Protogothic script
modern, by Ying
Italic is characterised by a slight rightward tilt, a result of being written quickly. Additionally, there is a non-slanted italic version that is more suitable for formal writing. It became prevalent in the Chancellery of Italy and is commonly referred to as 'chancery'. There are many variations, and it spread throughout Europe. It is also noted that Queen Elizabeth I of England was learning about this script.
italic
References
Patricia Lovett, The Art and History of Calligraphy, The British Library, 2017
Julien Chazal, Calligraphie-le Guide complet, Groupe Eyrolles, 2012
Claude Mediavilla, Calligraphie, Imprimerie nationale, 1993
Editd by Frank T. Coulson and Robert G. Babcock, The Oxford Handbook of Latin Palaeography, Oxford University Press, 2020