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18th century : the end of Calligraphy ?
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18th century : the end of Calligraphy ?
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Shendel Schichvarger
Shendel
3 years ago

Dear Sybille,

Thank you so much for putting all this information together. I am a beginner, I started practicing Copperplate (English Roundhand) last month. I also love history and researching, so I found your website yesterday and I am having so much fun looking at the old books you have on Flickr! 

Your catalogue is amazing! Thank you and cheers from Brazil,

Shendel

Sybille van Zuylen
Sybille
Reply to  Shendel
3 years ago

Hi Shendel,

Thank you so much for your kind comment! I’m really happy that the research is useful to beginners and advanced calligraphers alike. There are so many hidden treasures out there, I’m just doing my best to uncover the ones I think can help, and to make them usable for modern clligraphers 😉

Luis Castellon
Luis Castellon
2 years ago

Hello Sybille — great articles about the history of calligraphy. It’s been very helpful to read what was going on with this craft each century. Do you know anything about Angela Baroni? I am currently researching about her and I know she was a letter engraver, daughter of Giovanni Battista Baroni, but could not tell if she was also a calligrapher and I’m trying to find out…

Luis Castellon
Luis Castellon
Reply to  Sybille van Zuylen
2 years ago

That’s a very interesting point your are putting there. She was the first woman to ever engrave a map, which is outstanding. I will let you know about further findings about her if you are interested 🙂

Last edited 2 years ago by Luis Castellon
Sybille van Zuylen
Sybille Van Zuylen
Reply to  Luis Castellon
2 years ago

Thank you! I didn’t know that, this is fascinating! Map engraving was actually the start of letter engraving: this is how engravers practiced the engraving of the Cancellaresca (back in the 16th century), which allowed them to gain more expertise in letter engraving.

Stefanie Weigele
Stefanie Weigele
2 years ago

Dear Sybille, thanks so much for adding recently also more copybooks with examples containing German Kurrent script! So much to research :). For me, the shift from using broad nibs to pointed nibs in these styles is so interesting and now I have so many more examples to analyse!

Sybille van Zuylen
Sybille Van Zuylen
Reply to  Stefanie Weigele
2 years ago

Hello Stefanie!
I agree, the analysis of these books is fascinating! I must admit that I have not been searching a lot through German and Austrian Libraries’ treasures, so I have fewer of these examples. Don’t hesitate to tell me if you find books that you think should be added to the lists 😉

Stefanie Weigele
Stefanie Weigele
Reply to  Sybille Van Zuylen
2 years ago

I can absolutely understand, the Kurrent script is a bit weird and some of the books also are not top-notch ;D … but I have a deep interest in different sorts of Gothic handwriting styles, also the English and French versions, and so I am happy to find here more and more :). I do have some books and faksimiles I will digitize when I find time – I’ll let you know, so if you like you can add them! Also regarding your comment about Andreas Grüning’s book, with the English exemplars – I think there are no letters like… Read more »

Stefanie Weigele
Stefanie Weigele
Reply to  Sybille van Zuylen
2 years ago

Haha, very welcome. I think it also had to do with a certain showing-off of education … that you knew how to say (and write) certain words in French or Latin. I think a lot plays into that … Also, other than France or Spain who were states early on with a distinct capital, Germany was for many centuries a collection of many, some of them very small kingdoms and language and script maybe was insofar a strong thing for self-identification …

Stefanie Weigele
Stefanie Weigele
Reply to  Sybille van Zuylen
2 years ago

Oh I didn’t know that! Never stop learning I guess :). Thanks again for collecting all these great ressources and your thoughts about all these!

Robert Williams
Robert Williams
1 year ago

This is a wonderful site! You have done a great job of tracking down online copies of writing manuals. Fortunately, I live in Chicago and can consult originals at the Newberry Library.

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