Explicatio Formarum Litterarum by Rutherford Aris

B1277. Explicatio Formarum Litterarum: The Unfolding of Letterforms by Rutherford Aris. 1990. 50pp. plus 23 foldout plates. 9.5"x12.25". Paper over boards.

This book displays as graphically as possible the development of the forms of the Latin letters from the first to the fifteenth centuries. The foldout plates contain nearly 200 black & white reproductions of various scripts. The text relates the development of letters to that of other arts, making comparisons that shed light on the spirit of an entire age; for example, between the evolution of gothic letters and the pointed arches in gothic cathedrals. Many other fascinating insights into medieval thought, culture & history are included in the book.