CALLIGRAPH

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*Definition
*History
*Styles
*Samples
DEFINITION
“Calligraphy according to its etymology,
calligraphy, the art of beautiful handwriting.
The term may derive from the Greek words for
“beauty” (kallos) and “to write” (graphein).
DEFINITION
“Calligraphy is the art of forming beautiful
symbols by hand and arranging them well. 

It's a set of skills and techniques for

positioning and inscribing words so they show
integrity, harmony, some sort of ancestry,
rhythm and creative fire.
HISTORY
Ever since humans began speaking, they have
supplemented their sounds with gestures. Writing
came as an extension of this gesturing — A way
to make motion visible, memorable, and
lasting.
HISTORY
For thousands of years, people wrote with
whatever tools they had on hand, whether that
was sharp objects, to scratch, dent, or color
substances from vegetables to use as inks and
powders.
HISTORY
Writing letters with a pen is only ONE of
many ways that people have thought up to make
speech visible.

The origin of Calligraphy with brushes dates

back to ancient China during the Shang
dynasty becoming more common during the Han
dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) where it was
expected for all educated men and some women
to be proficient at it.
HISTORY
It is estimated that the Romans were the first
to really bring calligraphy to the masses – you
only have to take a look at many of the statues
throughout Italy or Roman remains in the UK to
see the strikingly beautiful lettering that they
painstakingly carved. They did also write in this
style!
HISTORY
The origin of the Western script evolved
from Phoenicia in about 1200 BC. adapted in
the eighth century by the Greeks, those
letterforms would continue to evolve and would
be borrowed by the Etruscans and in turn by the
Romans. (2)

All the rest of the Western scripts (or styles)

evolved from the Roman originals.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Roman and late Roman scripts
Imperial Capitals: Roman hand used in brush-drawn
and carved forms, the letterforms are the basis of many
modern capitals.
Rustic capitals: First-century script used in manuscripts,
sign written and carved forms.
Square capitals: Late Roman capitals, reserved for non-
Christian deluxe manuscripts.
Uncial and Artificial uncial: Latin version of the Greek
Uncial with rudimentary ascenders and descenders, used by the early
Christian Church.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Roman and late Roman scripts
Imperial Capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Roman and late Roman scripts
Rustic capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Roman and late Roman scripts
Square capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Roman and late Roman scripts
Uncial and Artificial uncial:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Insular and National script
Insular Majuscules: Combines Uncial and half Uncial
elements, developers by Isaiah-Northumbrian Celtic monks.
Insular Minuscule: Cursive form of the Insular Majuscules
used for documentary work.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Insular and National script
Insular Majuscules:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Insular and National script
Insular Minuscule:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Caroline and Early Gothic scripts
Caroline Minuscules: Reformed half Uncial; the
established hand of the Frankish Empire, the model for 15th-century
Humanism minuscules.
Early Gothic: Compressed version of the Caroline
Minuscules used in the 12th century, presaged later Gothic Script.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Caroline and Early Gothic scripts
Caroline Minuscules:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Caroline and Early Gothic scripts
Early Gothic:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Textura Quadrata: Fully compressed Gothic letter from the
early 13th century, characterized by a diamond terminal of minims.
Textura Prescisus: Twin script of the Quadrata,
characterized by flat feet on minims.
Gothic Capitals: Accompanying capitals for Textura
minuscules.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Lombardic Capitals: A built-up, prestige display and
Versa capital, usually based in conjunction with Quadrata or
Prescisus scripts.
Bastard Secretary: A cursive gothic script used only for
vernacular and documentary work.
Bâtarde: The French version of the Bastard Secretary.
Fraktur: German, late bastard script with many Textura
features, with Schwabacher, it remained in use until the mid 20th
century.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Textura Quadrata:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Textura Prescisus:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Gothic Capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Lombardic Capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Bastard Secretary:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Bâtarde:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Gothic scripts
Fraktur:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Rotunda: Italian hand; contemporary with a Gothic script,
rounder and more open than other northern European hands.
Rotunda Capitals: Accompanying capitals for Rotunda
minuscules.
Italic: Cursive for of the Humanist minuscules; used in modern
type for text in parenthesis and annotations.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Humanist Minuscule: Renaissance hand influenced by the
Caroline minuscules, the letterforms are the basis of much modern
printing type.
Humanist Capitals: Accompanying capitals for Humanist
and Italic minuscules, pen-drawn derivatives of Imperial capitals.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Rotunda:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Rotunda Capitals:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Italic:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Italian and humanist scripts
Humanist Minuscule:
STYLE and SAMPLE
Post-Renaissance scripts
Copperplate: Extreme form of a cursive script with most
letters linked, derived from Italic and influences by Copperplate
engraving.
Copperplate Capitals: Accompanying capitals for
Copperplate minuscules.
STYLE and SAMPLE
Post-Renaissance scripts
Copperplate:
REFERENCES
Online Sources
-https://www.forcmagazine.com/the-art-of-calligraphy/
-https://manuscriptpen.com/explore-manuscript/history-of-
calligraphy
-