Flowers from the Printers’ Garden
The Development & Use of Typographic Fleurons
Long before the invention of moveable type scribes incorporated rubrication and illumination as well as illustrations produced using carved wood blocks to embellish and enhance their work. A the development and use of movable type, exemplified in Gutenberg’s 42-Line Bible, replaced much of the work of scribes, printers coninued to decorate their pages using hand rubrication, illumination and hand carved blocks.
As moveable type became the major method for the creation and production of printed pieces, the role of the printer evolved to include responsibilites for the full spectrum of activites from design through finishing. Typographic ornaments, in the form of cut blocks and combinations of ornament, were developed to meet printers’ needs for more mechanical methods to add beauty to the printed page.
This talk will analyze the history of typographic fleurons and arabesque patterns, their relationship to other typographic elements, and the evolution of their use in creating evocative printing. The characteristics of these ornaments will be examined through review of the application of a few classics. We will explore actual use of these ornaments to create a visual typographic garden and identify opportunities for their further use.
Ethan Lipton has been passionately involved in printing and typography for more than thirty-five years. Significantly influenced by teacher and mentor Richard Hoffman, his interests focus on traditional typography, fine letterpress printing and hand presses, he has designed numerous printed pieces including ephemera, books and broadsides. A member of the Board of Trustees of the International Printing Museum, Dr. Lipton has made more than eighty presentations at international, national and regional meetings.
The lecture will be on Saturday, June 16, at 2:00 pm. It is free, but please R.S.V.P. as space is limited. The Printing Museum is located at 315 Torrance Boulevard, Carson, California. Please contact the Museum at (310) 515-7166. or www.printmuseum.org for additional information or to make reservations. Click here to see the announcement.
