Temeraire: When a French millenial rediscover Baskerville legacy, an exploration into English Vernacular

In 1757, Baskerville’s ‘Virgil’ was
set in new types that were cut by
John Handy between 1750-57.
Unlike those of his predecessor,
William Caslon, these types were
not inspired by Dutch punch
cutters but by Baskerville’s own
practice of calligraphy, and by
copper-plate works from English
writing masters such as Georges
Bickham and Joseph Champion.
Baskerville’s design was copied by
his peers and influenced lettering
artists and stone carvers around
Britain, leading to the development
of what is known today as
the English Letter. Historians,
such as Alan Bartram and James
Mosley, have documented this
genre, also named English Vernacular.
The Temeraire family is an
attempt by a young French designer
to submit a contemporary
interpretation of the English Letter
through an investigation of its
history. This talk will demonstrate
Baskerville’s influence on the
English Vernacular and introduce
the Temeraire family, its design process and some of the shapes
directly inherited from Baskerville.