Palatino is a serif typeface created by Hermann Zapf in 1948. It is admired by many, for its grace and strength. It has been adapted to virtually every type technology, and is probably one of the most used and copied typefaces in existence.
Named after 16th century Italian writing master 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 both more legible and elegant to many eyes. In the Bitstream font collection, Palatino is called Zapf Calligraphic.
Microsoft distributes a similar typeface, Book Antiqua (originally by Monotype), which is considered by many to be an inferior 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 the original typefaces' character width, spacing and kerning properties.
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.
Altough Book Antiqua isn't a direct copy, Microsoft has since licensed and distributes a verion of Zapf's original design called Palatino Linotype in Windows 2000 and XP.
External link
- John Butler has compiled this Palatino FAQ.
- Luc Devroye
- Hermann Zapf wrote a life history for Linotype Library, available Here