Figure 246

Italic cut by Gil: Specimen Real Biblioteca, Madrid

From Muestras de los Nuevos Punzones y Matrices para la Letra de Imprenta executados por Orden de S. M. y de su Caudal destinado a la Dotacion de su Real Biblioteca (scan)

1787

These were probably all cut by Geromino Gil, though no supporting statement is made except on the first page, where we are told that a minute type, proudly called Plus Ultra and described as the smallest letter in Europe, was cut by Gil, although he left it unfinished. These types are very Spanish in effect—notice particularly the parangona in roman and italic.… Specimens of Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic characters are included in the collection.

See chapter 16