VOX-ATypI classification
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In typography, the Vox-ATypI classification makes it possible to classify typefaces in eleven general classes. Invented by Maximilien Vox in 1954, it was adopted in 1962 by the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI). This classification tends to group typefaces according to main characteristics, often typical of one century (15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th century), and this while being based on a certain number of criteria: downstroke and upstroke, forms of serifs, stroke axis, x-height, etc. Vox-ATypI classification defines prototypes of typefaces, but actually a typeface can easily exhibit the characteristics of more than one class.
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[edit] The Humanists
Humanist or Humanes include the first Roman typefaces created during the 15th century by the Venetian printers. These typefaces sought to imitate the formal hands found in the humanistic manuscripts of the time. These typefaces, rather round in opposition to the Gothics of the Middle Ages, are characterized by short and thick serifs, and a low contrast between horizontals and verticals. These typefaces are inspired in particular by the Carolingian minuscule, imposed by Charlemagne during his reign of the Holy Roman Empire.
Examples of Humanes include Centaur and Cloister.[1]
[edit] The Garaldes
This group is named thus in homage to Claude Garamond and Aldus Manutius. In general, the garaldes have finer proportions than the humanists, while having a stronger contrast between downstroke and upstroke. The weight of the garaldes are distributed according to an oblique axis. In France, under François I, the garaldes were the tool which supported the official fixing of grammar and the orthography.
Examples of Garaldes include Garamond and Bembo.[1]
[edit] The Realists
The Realists or Réales are the typical typefaces of the traditional period, particularly embodying the rational spirit of the Enlightenment. Contrast between main and connecting strokes is marked even more than in the first two groups, weight is distributed now according to a quasi-vertical axis. The realists are the result of the will of Louis XIV to invent new typographical forms, on the one hand to find a successor of the Garamond, on the other hand to compete in quality with the different printers of Europe.
Examples of Realist typefaces include Baskerville, Times Roman, and other contemporary redesigns of traditional faces.[1]
[edit] The Didones
The Didones draws their name from the characters Didot and Bodoni. These typefaces, dating from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, recognizable thanks to their very great contrast between full and connecting strokes (connecting being extremely fine), the verticality of the characters and their unbracketed, hairline serifs. They correspond to the Didot of the Thibaudeau classification. The didones in particular made it possible for the First French Empire to employ typefaces very different from the typefaces used by the kings from the Ancien Régime.
Examples of Didones include Bodoni and Walbaum.[1]
[edit] The Mechanicals
Also called the Mécanes, the name of this group evokes the very mechanical aspect of these typefaces, which are contemporary of a great development of industry (beginning of the 19th century). The principal characteristics of these typefaces are a very low contrast and rectangular slab serifs. They correspond to the Egyptiennes of Thibaudeau classification.
Examples of Mechanical typefaces include Rockwell and Lubalin Graph.[1]
[edit] The Linears
Linears, or Linéales, combines all typefaces without serifs (called sans-serif). These correspond to the Antiques of the Thibaudeau classification.
Examples of Linear typefaces include Univers and Futura .[1]
[edit] The Inscriptionals
The Inscriptionals, or Incise, are typefaces which evoke the engraving of the characters in the stone or metal. They thus have small, triangular serifs, which makes this group similar to those of the linear group.
[edit] The Scripts
The Scripts, or Scriptes, includes typefaces which evoke the formal penmanship. They seem to be written with the quill, with a strong slope. The letters can often be connected to each other. The famous English typefaces form part of this family.
Examples of Script typefaces include Shelley and Francesca.[1]
[edit] The Hands
The Hands, or Manuaires, are based on scripts, which are written with either a pen or a brush.
Examples of Hand typefaces include Albertus and Klang.[1]
[edit] The Black letters
The Black letters, or Fractures, corresponds to the typefaces usually called "Gothics". These typefaces are characterized by pointed and angular forms.
Examples of Black letter typefaces include Fraktur and Old English.[1]
[edit] The Non-Latin Typefaces
This family is heterogeneous since it gathers (without distinction of style) all writing systems not based on the Latin alphabet: Greek, Cyrillic, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, &c.[citation needed]
[edit] Regrouping of families
The families can be gathered between them:
- The humanists, garaldes and realists constitute the family of the characters called Classicals (triangular serifs, oblique axis, low stroke contrast).
- The lineals, didones, and mechanicals constitute the family of the characters called Moderns (industrial period: simple, functional features).
- The inscriptionals, scripts and hands constitute the characters of Calligraphics.
