Letters and Lettering Part 3

[Ill.u.s.tration: 76. MODERN GERMAN CAPITALS. AFTER BERNHARD PANKOK]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 77. MODERN FRENCH POSTER. THEO. VAN RYSSELBERGHE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 78. MODERN FRENCH COVER. M. P. VERNEUIL]

The influence of nationality is strongly shown in the modern 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 freshness 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 eminent German draughtsmen, whose work is all too little known in this country, are [84] using letters with the same distinction that has of late years marked their purely decorative work, as the specimens shown in 68 to 76 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 variations. 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 lettering 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 79. MODERN FRENCH LETTERS. AFTER M. P. VERNEUIL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 80. MODERN FRENCH POSTER. P. BONNARD]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 81. MODERN FRENCH COVER. GEORGE AURIOL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 82. MODERN FRENCH CAPITALS. ALPHONS M. MUCHA]

[86]

Among the examples of modern French lettering, those shown in 78 and 79 are perhaps the most typical of the modern school. This style of letter was given its most consistent form by the joint efforts of M. P. Verneuil and some of the pupils of Eugene Gra.s.set, after whose letter it was originally modeled. Gra.s.set 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 83. MODERN FRENCH LETTERED PAGE. GEORGE AURIOL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 84. MODERN FRENCH LETTERS "CURSIVE". GEORGE AURIOL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 85. MODERN FRENCH COVER DESIGN. EUGeNE GRa.s.sET]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 86. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. WALTER CRANE]

[88]

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 generally uses for this purpose 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 technique, yet suitable for rapid writing. He calls [91] 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 individual letters of this "Cursive" may be more easily studied in 84. The cover for "L'Image", 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 suggestive for development.

M. Alphons Mucha employs a distinctive letter, especially fitted to his technique, which he uses almost invariably, 82.

Much recent French lettering inclines toward a certain formlessness, that, although sometimes admirable when regarded merely from the point of view of harmony with the design, has little value otherwise. A typical specimen of such formless lettering is that shown in the very charming [92] "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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 87. MODERN ENGLISH POSTER. WALTER CRANE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 88. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. WALTER CRANE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 89. MODERN ENGLISH LETTERS. WALTER CRANE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 90. MODERN ENGLISH t.i.tLE. JOSEPH W. SIMPSON]

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 pa.s.sing that he is perhaps the only designer who has been able to make the wrongly accented Q seem consistent (compare 86), or who has conquered its swash tail when the letter is accented in this unusual way.

[93]

Mr. Lewis F. Day has become 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 characteristic of his work; but perhaps 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 effective composition, and its letter forms possess the variety required to satisfy the eye when so much of the whole effect of the design depends upon them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 91. MODERN ENGLISH POSTER. JOSEPH W. SIMPSON]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 92. MODERN ENGLISH COVER. WILLIAM NICHOLSON]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 93. MODERN ENGLISH COVER. LEWIS F. DAY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 94. MODERN ENGLISH t.i.tLE. GORDON CRAIG]

The style of lettering ordinarily employed by Mr. Selwyn Image--a style of marked originality and distinction--is well exhibited in the design for a book cover, 98.

The name of Mr. Charles Ricketts is intimately a.s.sociated with the Vale Press. The detail of the t.i.tle-page reproduced in 100 shows a characteristic bit of his work.

Mr. J. W. Simpson, one of the younger British draughtsmen, uses a graceful and interestingly linked Roman form shown in the panel from a t.i.tle-page, 90. The bizarre [95] letter by the same artist, 91, is fairly representative of a style recently come into vogue among the younger British draughtsmen, which is related to a form of letter brought into fashion by the new English school of designers on wood, among whom may be mentioned Mr. William Nicholson and Mr. Gordon Craig, both of whom have done lettering distinguished by its indication of the medium employed.

Figure 92 shows Mr. Nicholson's favorite type of letter [96] fairly, and the style of Mr. Craig's work is suggested by the t.i.tle for a book cover in 94.

The book cover, 97, by Mr. Edmund H. New, shows variants of the Roman capital and minuscule forms, which closely adhere to cla.s.sic models.

Mr. Robert Anning Bell has done much distinctive lettering in intimate a.s.sociation with design. Figure 96 is fairly representative of his style of work.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 95. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. LEWIS F. DAY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 96. MODERN ENGLISH t.i.tLE. ROBERT ANNING BELL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 97. MODERN ENGLISH COVER. EDMUND H. NEW]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 98. MODERN ENGLISH COVER. SELWYN IMAGE]

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, [97] occasionally give us bits of lettering which are both unusual and excellent; but these bits are commonly so subordinated to the designs in which they are used and so involved with them as to be beyond the scope of the present book.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 99. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. ANONYMOUS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 100. MODERN ENGLISH CAPITALS. CHARLES RICKETTS]

In ill.u.s.trating the lettering of American artists it has been unfortunately found necessary to omit the work of many well-known designers, either because their usual style of lettering is too similar in fundamental forms to the work of some other draughtsman, or because the letters they commonly employ are not distinctive or individual.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 101. MODERN AMERICAN t.i.tLE. EDWIN A. ABBEY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 102. MODERN AMERICAN t.i.tLE. ANONYMOUS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 103. MODERN AMERICAN COVER. EDWARD PENFIELD]

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 [100]

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 t.i.tle-page for Herrick's poems, 101, by the same draughtsman, is likewise excellent, being both original and appropriate.