Estefa, just a little follow up: "Well it's just that some people don't just like beautiful writing, they also like beautiful tools it's simply a fashion imho (I also own a number of pretty holders, straight and oblique. Two of the straight are from the 19th century and made of silver respectively ivory. For writing broad edge, however, a quill is my preferred instrument as well!). Btw I recently saw in Venice a several centuries year old luxury writing set for a prince, made of ivory, rare woods and inlaid with precious stones and gold."
I can appreciate that but the emphasis for me is on the tool. Basically whatever is put in my hand. There may be some exceptions, but regardless of the cost, if you can not handle letter forms it not going to make a difference what you have. Its what you know. Also,
"On the contrary, what I see, is one history and evolution of Western writing styles, branching out, changing, evolving and developing in such a variety of forms that it is a wonder and a treasure. I don't get the near contempt with that many traditional calligraphers seem to regard pointed pen which was also not invented just yesterday. In the light of work by masters like Van de Velde etc., who sort of led the way to the developement of later pointed pen styles, I cannot understand how you see pointed pen styles lacking historical context. (
@sybillevz maybe you can provide some more examples
?)"
You may have misunderstood what my meaning was when i said
evolution. The alphabet is what i was referring to. We started out in the first century with only Capital letters (23) and Z was the 3rd letter even prior to the Roman influence. It took 800 years to develop a complete set of minuscule (lowercase) letterforms. Historically the development and the slow change and growth of the alphabet is very well documented . Simple examples. How the cross bar of the H changed as well as the that of the letter A. How the G was developed. How the J was formed to indicate its difference between the I.
This development what i am referring to came to a conclusion in the 14th century with the invention of the printing press. The Chancery Hand or Italic (being developed) in Italy was controlled by the Papal
Chancery and it reached its conclusion as more of a secretarial hand then a manuscript hand. by the 15th century. the first book on Chancery was published titled La Operina. by Arrighi. This was the movement where the common folk outside of the church influence could learn how to write and read (including children) Beyond Chancery, we had the plates of the press !
I must admit many earlier letter forms especially in the Blackletter hands became very nationalistic . A perfect example is The German influence, even as to this writing today. Dark, close letterforms , strong and beautifully executed. Even that kind of lettering could not take up a page but did have its strength in a few words especially in vermillion .
Under those circumstances i agree with you. But its a different evolution. Not of letterforms but growth of understanding in other cultures, areas, and even ideas.
The pointed pen cannot be developed with a change in the alphabet. What it can provide is elegance, grace and a remarkable sense of occupation where thicks and thins control there position in the style of writing. But the alphabet is the alphabet. Even capitals are based more on competition for the same reasons. They are ornate, exquisitely done and very elaborate in design.
The alphabets in the first century were designed by there respective geometric forms. The square, the circle, the rectangle and the triangle. T
he Romans built there coliseums and monuments on these principles. That also included there lettering on stone. Which was reserved for Caesars. That represented power ! Firsst done by brush, then chiseled into stone. Even there manuscripts and the lettering were controlled and mandated.
The broad edged pen was the influential guide first by reed then feather. By the 8th century after well over 800 years of Uncial, a fully formed lowercase alphabet was the order of the day. This to was mandated by Charlemange (Carla Magna) here the influence was money ! Having conquered all of Europe he needed to insure that with all the languages of different countries an alphabet could be developed for the entire realm. He hired the Alcuin, the duke of York to develop the lowercase letters. Which has turned into what we have today. That was 1300 years ago !
thought you would enjoy a little side track on the history which was pivotal and demise of the broad edged pen. Any revival which is usually a rediscovery of the tools more so then the letter forms themselves , provide a group (me included) that has a yearning to understand classical forms . Whether its a violin, piano or a cut reed. I dont disagree with the notion that getting a taste of a beautiful art is not the proper way to understanding the art itself, but the tool is not going to make it more understandable or easier. So when i see a website where 200 different oblique holders are being offered for sale at a variety of prices (up to $ 300.) one has to wonder, what kind of an alphabet are dealing with here. As a matter of fact, no alpahabets are even being shown, just holders, nibs and paper. the emphasis certainly has changed. The complete capital alphabet as we know it with its inherent geometric forms will withstand as it has for the past 5000 years.
Please , contact me privately if you would like to continue this. That goes for anyone else who may be interested. Thanks for your participation. jerry
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