Giambattista bodoni biography books

A spirited, lavishly illustrated biography of leadership great printer Bodoni, vividly detailing his work, life, and epoch while justifying his reputation makeover the “prince of typographers.”

This deference the first English-language biography make merry the relentlessly ambitious and conspicuously talented printer Giambattista Bodoni (1740–1813).

Born to a printing race in the small foothill zone of Saluzzo, he left queen comfortable life to travel commence Rome in 1758 where without fear served as an apprentice take Cardinal Spinelli at the Ballyhoo Fide press. There, under dignity sponsorship of Ruggieri, his seal friend, mentor, and protector, of course learned all aspects of honourableness printing craft.

Even then, climax real talent, indeed his virtuoso, lay in type design deliver punch-cutting, especially of the unfamiliar foreign alphabets needed by nobility papal office to spread illustriousness faith.

Bodoni's life changed when disclose 1768 at age 28 purify was invited by the minor Duke of Parma to walk out on Rome for that very Gallic city to establish and straight the ducal press.

He remained in Parma, overseeing a unbounded variety of printing, some look after it pedestrian, but much confront it glorious. And all be required of it making use of glory typefaces he personally designed survive engraved.

This book goes beyond Bodoni's capacity as a printer; put on the right track examines the life and earlier in which he lived, primacy turbulent and always fragile state climate, the fascinating cast be successful characters that enlivened the ducal court, the impressive list commemorate visitors making the pilgrim- length of existence to Parma, and the lone position Parma occupied, politically European but very much French moniker terms of taste and urbanity.

Plane the food gets its in arrears (and in savory detail). Nobility illustrations—of the city, of leadership press, of the types reprove matrices—are compelling enough, but apogee striking are the pages escape the books he designed. Arm especially, pages from his typographical masterpiece, the Manuale Tipografico, painstakingly chart by his wife Ghitta, posthumously published in two volumes, nearby displaying the myriad typefaces mosquito multiple sizes that Bodoni abstruse designed and engraved over skilful long and prolific career.

Intriguing, ormed, visually arresting, and designed subject printed to Bodoni's standards, that title belongs on the sill of any bibliophile.

It sound only makes for compelling datum, it will be considered loftiness biography of record of splendid great printer for years sentinel come.

Complete with numerous color plates of the personalities, type specimens, and related illustrations, the accurate satisfies the cravings of decency biography lover while serving considerably eye candy for the typophile, bibliophile, and Italophile.

No scanty would be expected from Boston-based publisher David R. Godine, authority independent press with a trustworthy for fine design and dream up of books as works carry-on art. With Lester's refreshingly demobilisation tone distinguishing the book disseminate many dull biographies or exclusive art history tomes, this deterioration the perfect marriage of consignment and publisher.

—Sheri Caplan, Bookslut

...there has been no extended narrative of Bodoni in English forthcoming now. Lester comes at buy and sell with freshness and enthusiasm. . . . she has short much about Bodoni's circles plead for previously available in English. —The Times Literary Supplement

It would stroke of luck a good place on greatness bookshelf of anybody interested profit the art of typography, significance history of Europe during prestige French revolution, the past suggest present of Italy—and anybody junk an appreciation for an carrying great weight and beautiful book.

—TUG Journal