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| Category | Serif |
|---|---|
| Designer(s) | Hermann Zapf |
| Foundry | Linotype |
 | |
| Sample | |
Palatino is a serif typeface created by Hermann Zapf in 1948. It is one of the most popular typefaces in existence, and has been adapted to virtually every type technology. Having such fame, it is probably one of the most used and copied typefaces in existence.
Named after 16th century Italian master of calligraphy Giambattista Palatino, Palatino is based on the humanist fonts of the Italian Renaissance, which mirror the letters formed by a broadnib pen; this gives a calligraphic grace. But where the Renaissance faces tend to use smaller letters with longer vertical lines (ascenders and descenders) with lighter strokes, Palatino has larger proportions, and is considered much easier to read. See the "typeface" article for more on classification.
The digital type foundries Linotype and Adobe Systems sell authentic versions of Palatino; Palatino Linotype is authorized by Zapf as the definitive Palatino. However, certain hot metal versions of Palatino, of smaller x-height, are considered both more legible and elegant to many people. In the Bitstream font collection, Palatino is called Zapf Calligraphic.
Zapf also designed Aldus, which appeared in the D. Stempel AG catalog in 1954. Both Aldus and Palatino were Zapf’s new form of old style typefaces inspired by the Renaissance.
Similar typefaces
Microsoft distributes a similar typeface, Book Antiqua (originally by Monotype), which is considered by many to be an imitation. Like Arial, which is a Helvetica look-alike, Book Antiqua was designed as an alternative to licensing the fonts mandated by Adobe's PostScript standard. Both Book Antiqua and Arial share the original typefaces' character width, spacing and kerning properties. However, Book Antiqua resembles Palatino much more than Arial does Helvetica; indeed, the two are quite difficult to tell apart. The main difference is in the width of the C and S; the Book Antiqua versions do not look quite "correct" to some readers.
In 1993, Zapf resigned from l'Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI) over what he viewed as its hypocritical attitude toward unauthorized copying by prominent ATypI members.
Although Book Antiqua is not a direct copy, Microsoft has since licensed and distributes a version of Zapf's original design called Palatino Linotype in Windows 2000 and XP.
URW Palladio L, another similar typeface is available, this time by URW (Unternehmensberatung Rubow Weber — from the founders' names) and under the GNU General Public License. Zapf actually did work with URW on this typeface, but Linotype retains the license to the name Palatino.
References
External links
- John Butler has compiled this Palatino FAQ.
- Luc Devroye
- Hermann Zapf wrote a life history for Linotype Library, available Here
- Palatino Linotype font information (Microsoft typography)