Figure 311
Largest, medium, and smallest Roman and Italic Capitals shown in Bodoni’s Manuale Tipografico, Parma
From Library of Congress (scan 1, scan 2, scan 3, scan 4)
1818
The first volume contains, under the title of Serie di Caratteri Latini, Tondi e Corsivi, a series of roman and italic types which cover 144 pages. These run from parmigianina to papale. Sometimes there are as many as fourteen varieties of the same body in different designs and weights of line. It is almost impossible to conceive why it was necessary to have so many kinds which, even to a trained eye, appear much alike: though it is perhaps justifiable in the larger sizes…where differences can be clearly detected. The number of sizes of type, so nicely graduated that one almost merges in another, is more explicable. This great series enabled Bodoni to place on his pages, not approximately, but exactly, the size of type he wished to employ.