Claude Garamond
Claude Garamond , actually Garamont, (* 1499 (or 1490) in Paris ; † 1561 ibid) was a French type caster , typographer , die cutter and publisher . He created the Garamond font, which is still used today .
life and work
Claude Garamond learned the handicraft of typeface cutting with Geoffroy Tory , he was a student and employee of the Parisian die cutter and printer Antoine Augereau , some of Garamond's works are attributed to Augereau in various sources - in each case, his teacher's influence is at the stake until his death very likely in 1534.
Garamond's first Antiqua typefaces were probably created around 1530/1531 when typefaces of a new type that could be ascribed to Claude Garamond first appeared in four different Parisian printing houses. The preparatory work for this can be dated back to 1525.
If one takes as a reference the work for his most important customer, the printer Robert Estienne , the development from the Italian Antiqua becomes clearly visible: the minuscules are an improvement of Francesco Griffo's designs (Polyphilus-Type), the italics are based on the alphabets Lodovico Arrighi which, like the Griffo writings, were used by Aldus Manutius .
Thanks to Garamond's work, the Antiqua had finally broken away from its model, the chisel script, and it appeared lighter and more elegant than its Italian predecessors. Up until the 17th century Garamond's designs remained the benchmark for die cutters all over Europe and the printing works from Holland to Germany to Italy printed with the French master’s writings. In 1539 he received his own type foundry by royal decree and in 1543 received the title of royal type founder for the then famous Greek font "Grecs du Roi".
The Antiqua and Kursiv , published in 1540, were based on the Bembo by Francesco Griffo and remained the leading typefaces in Europe for about 250 years.
Others
In Umberto Eco's novel The Foucault Pendulum , a science publisher where the protagonists work is called Garamond. A dubious-glamorous vanity press of the same contractor, however, is by Aldo Manuzio named.
Web links
- Garamond-Historik at 100besteschriften.de
- Wolfgang Beinert: Claude Garamond. Short biography at typolexikon.de
- Garamond alternatives at typefacts.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Garamond himself wrote his family name with a "t" at the end, thus "Garamont". Garamond, Claude , at typolexikon.de
- ↑ a b Stefan Waidmann: Font and typography . Sulgen (CH), 1999 (page 9)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Garamond, Claude |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Garamont, Claude |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French type founder, typographer, die cutter and publisher |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1490 or 1499 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Paris |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1561 |
| Place of death | Paris |