Poem Script is a mixed collection of interpretations conjuring a late nineteenth century American pen script style.
Though not an actual Italian letterform, this style was called “Italian Alphabet” stemming from an old penman’s term for an alphabet where the stress or shades are opposite their normal placement. The American variant followed from the late eighteenth century British hand also confusingly called “Italian Hand,” which itself evolved from some seventeenth century French batarde scripts.
It showcases the phenomenal control and mastery of hand skills required to create such ornamental and lively letters centuries ago. Producing the shaded strokes in reversed positions such as this required holding the pen in a position horizontal to the baseline, or the letterforms would have to be written backwards or by rotating the paper at peculiar and extreme angles to achieve the effect.
Exotic, elaborate and very attractive, Poem Script contains plenty of variations on each letter and comes with hundreds of calligraphic ornaments.
Poem Script received a Certificate of Excellence at the Type Directors Club NY and was selected at the Bienal Tipos Latinos 2012.
