#arabesque

Sophia Loren in Arabesque - 1966

venetian arabesque, almost

the 1st illustration shows digital reissue of english monotype ornament 280. john ryder called this unit «A Venetian Arabesque» [A Suite of Fleurons, charles t. branford, boston, 1957, p21], as he believed its exemplar first shown by the venetian printer gabrielle giolito in 1552 (2nd illustration). i had a eureka moment spotting the giolito ornament used on the title-page of the 1553 Il Petrarca printed by contemporary venitian printer domenico giglio (3rd illustration). however, hendrik d.l. vervliet confirmed that this arabesque was engraved by robert granjon, & first shown in the paris printing office of denis janot in 1544 [Granjon’s Flowers, oak knoll press, new castle (del), 2016, p23]; vervliet’s ornament is the same as used on the giglio title-page. on closer comparison, the monotype 280 is not an exact copy of the granjon unit, but an abstraction made more symmetrical (4th illustration): perhaps its exact exemplar is to be located on a specimen page from a later foundry [✓].

with thanks to the john rylands library for permitting my examination of the giglio petrarca.

for a composition using digital 280 vide‹typographicalex libris›.

nuremberg arabesque

diapered lozenge formes. the unit is a monotype recutting [lanston monotype 486—english monotype also cut one, their 240], & the exemplar may have been the fleuron cut by johann andrea endter before 1721 for use in his nuremberg printing office—it is shown in the book issued by his heirs in 1733, Die Wol-eingerichtete Buchdruckerey; but the design did not originate with endter. [cf. john ryder, A Suite of Fleurons, charles t. branford, boston, 1957, p35].

1. letterpress on curtis retreeve vellum, rouge.

2. letterpress on mohawk superfine white eggshell.