Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique (Lettering, Calligraphy, Typography)

Marc Drogin's book is a great resource for those who want to be able to write some of the major scripts employed between the 1st and 15th centuries. Each script is introduced with a brief history and several facsimiles of real examples with accompanying transcriptions before a full page diagram on how the letters are formed followed by relevant technical notes. Before the treatment of the scripts themselves there is a more general introduction on the historical development of scripts, full of anecdote, though some holes can be picked in the historical narrative (though this is not relevant to scripts per se).The scripts covered are:Roman Rustic - 1st-6th centuryUncial - 3rd-6th centuryArtificial Uncial 6th-10th centuryRoman Half-Uncial 3rd-9th centuryInsular Majuscule 6th-9th centuryInsular Minuscule 6th century onwardsLuxeuil Minuscule 7th-8th centuryCarolingian Minuscule 8th-12th centuryEarly Gothic 11th-12thGothic Textura Quadrata 13th-15th centuryGothic Textura Prescisus 13th century onwardsGothic Littera Bastarda 13th century onwardsA good further resource is  An Introduction to Greek and Latin Palaeography .

This is another Dover Publication, but not altogether typical of the genre. It covers numerals, layout and materials, sources - with a useful listing of references, materials and resources, facsimile sources, supplies, etc. For those with talent, the examples shown are 'manageable'; for myself with no artistic training or talent they are reproduced in a size compatible with tracing onto a greetings card. Apart from the history of the original works, there is an exhaustive 'how to' in respect of free-hand lettering which includes 'lifting off' and hand pressure when creating, which - even in my case ought to repay careful study. I am pleased with this book which goes much further than many I possess and will, I have little doubt, repay more careful study rather I usually afford such books.

This book is amazing. It really brings the subject to life and helps you understand things you didn’t understand before. Streets ahead of any other calligraphy book I’ve read.

i was execting more example, but this book is quite wordy.Having said that, although it is quite dry, it is almost informative and i understand why more scholarly reader would find this a real treasure.I was almost going to return it, but repented and decided to keep it for reference.It is less an "art" book, more of a "study" book.

The supplier information at the back of the book is a bit out of date. But the rest of the book is excellent. It contains a history of the best-known medieval scripts, sample manuscripts, and a guide to writing the letters for oneself. Very interesting and informative.

Loved it !!!The history part is magnificentThe calligraphy part is also MORE THAN OK but I would have spent some more paper to make everything even more helpful even at the price of discarding some ”specimens” But that is just me.Wonderful piece of knowledge and valuable practical information for our hobby5 STARS

A really good book from the point of view that it not only gives the history of the styles but through pictures and references shows how they were formed. Masses of information on the technique of the lettering and also of numerals, plus page layout. All you need to be able to decipher the calligraphy of manuscripts or to 'start writing in the style of.....'

I like it very much. A comprehensive approach to the development of Western scripts and a calligraphy guide in the same book. The only minor fault from my point of view: It is excessively focused on Anglo-Saxon writings. I missed a deeper mention to Visigothic script.