Font. The Sourcebook
edited by Nadine Monem (Black Dog Publishing, £24.95)
Once upon a time, the word “font” meant the individual bits of lead from a foundry used in printing: “font” and “foundry” both come from the Middle French verb fondre (to melt), which lead does nicely. These fonts were created in a number of distinct alphabetic looks, known as “typefaces.” Each typeface had a unique name, like Garamond or Geneva, and spanned a variety of heights and weights (italic, bold). Everything was done by hand; aesthetically and pragmatically, printing was a demanding business.
These days, only type designers—typographers—think in terms of typefaces. For everyone else, the digital age has effaced the face/font distinction: the “fonts” installed on your computer are a lot more flexible than a box of lead blocks, and using them takes no more effort than clicking a mouse. Now, however, I have a lovely new anthology—Font. The Sourcebook—to make me pause for thought. It’s part catalogue, with a seductive selection of fonts on display. But it also presumes to tell “the story of type.” And it’s a tale that makes the relationship between print, design and history seem as complex and current as ever.
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