VOX-ATypI classification

In typography, the Vox-ATypI classification makes it possible to classify typefaces in eleven general classes. Devised by Maximilien Vox in 1954, it was adopted in 1962 by the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI). This classification tends to group typefaces according to their main characteristics, often typical of a particular century (15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th century), based on a number of formal criteria: downstroke and upstroke, forms of serifs, stroke axis, x-height, etc. Although the Vox-ATypI classification defines archetypes of typefaces, in fact a typeface can easily exhibit the characteristics of more than one class.

The Humanists

Humanist or "Humanes" include the first Roman typefaces created during the 15th century by Venetian printers. These typefaces sought to imitate the formal hands found in the humanistic manuscripts of the time. These typefaces, rather round in opposition to the Gothics of the Middle Ages, are characterized by short and thick serifs, and a low contrast between horizontals and verticals. These typefaces are inspired in particular by the Carolingian minuscule, imposed by Charlemagne during his reign of the Holy Roman Empire.

Examples of Humanes include Centaur and Cloister.

The Garaldes

This group is named in homage to Claude Garamond and Aldus Manutius. In general, the garaldes have finer proportions than the humanists, and a stronger contrast between downstroke and upstroke. The weight of the garaldes are distributed according to an oblique axis. In France, under François I, the garaldes were the tool which supported the official fixing of grammar and orthography.

Examples of Garaldes include Garamond and Bembo.

The Realists

The Realists or "Réales" are the typical typefaces of the traditional period, particularly embodying the rational spirit of the Enlightenment. Contrast between main and connecting strokes is marked even more than in the first two groups, weight is distributed now according to a quasi-vertical axis. The realists are the result of the wish of Louis XIV to invent new typographical forms, on the one hand to find a successor of the Garamond, on the other hand to compete in quality with the different printers of Europe.

Examples of Realist typefaces include Baskerville, Times Roman, and other contemporary redesigns of traditional faces.cite book
last = Campbell
first = Alastair
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =The Designer's Lexicon: The Illustrated Dictionary of Design, Printing, and Computer Terms
publisher = Chronicle Books
date = 2000
location = San Francisco
pages = 173
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0-8118-2625-2]

The Didones

The Didones draw their name from the typefounders Didot and Bodoni. These typefaces, dating from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, make a very strong contrast between full and connecting strokes (the connecting strokes being extremely fine), the verticality of the characters and their unbracketed, hairline serifs. They correspond to the "Didot" of the Thibaudeau classification. The didones in particular made it possible for the First French Empire to employ typefaces very different from the typefaces used by the kings from the Ancien Régime.

Examples of Didones include Bodoni and Walbaum.

The Mechanicals

Also called the "Mécanes", the name of this group evokes the mechanical aspect of these typefaces, which coincide with the Industrial Revolution at the beginning of the 19th century. The principal characteristics of these typefaces are a very low contrast and rectangular slab serifs. They correspond to the "Egyptiennes" of Thibaudeau classification.

Examples of Mechanical typefaces include Rockwell and Lubalin Graph.

The Linears

Linears, or "Linéales", combine all typefaces without serifs (called sans-serif). These correspond to the "Antiques" of the Thibaudeau classification.

Examples of Linear typefaces include Univers and Futura .

The Inscriptionals

The Inscriptionals, or "Incise", are typefaces which evoke the engraving of characters in stone or metal. They thus have small, triangular serifs, which makes this group similar to those of the linear group.

The Scripts

The Scripts, or "Scriptes", include typefaces which evoke the formal penmanship. They seem to be written with a quill, and have a strong slope. The letters can often be connected to each other. Typefaces imitating the Copperplate hand form part of this family.

Examples of Script typefaces include Shelley and Francesca.

The Hands

The Hands, or "Manuaires", are based on scripts, which are written with either a pen or a brush.

Examples of Hand typefaces include Albertus and Klang.

The Blackletters

The Blackletters, or "Fractures", are characterized by pointed and angular forms, and are modelled on late medieval hands written with a broad-nibbed pen.

Examples of Black letter typefaces include Fraktur and Old English.

The Non-Latin Typefaces

This heterogeneous family gathers (without distinction of style) all writing systems not based on the Latin alphabet: Greek, Cyrillic, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, &c.Fact|date=May 2008

Grouping into families

These classes can be grouped into families:
* The humanists, garaldes and realists constitute the family of Classicals (triangular serifs, oblique axis, low stroke contrast).
* The linears, didones, and mechanicals constitute the family of Moderns (industrial period: simple, functional features).
* The inscriptionals, scripts and hands constitute the family of Calligraphics.

References

External links

* [http://www.atypi.org/ ATypI]
* [http://www.affaire-esperluette.com/familles.htm a site about typeface families]