Deberny et peignot, “Acier”, 1931

The typeface Acier was designed by A.M. Cassandre as a modern Antique titling typeface in two versions, the solid parts of the “semi-open” face can be either black or halftone grey. Acier is cut and distributed by the foundry Deberny and Peignot from 1931. This realization corresponds to the beginning of the collaboration with the Office of transformation and use of the steel (OTUA) which leads Cassandre to the artistic direction of the magazine Acier from 1932.

Cassandre sought to meet a demand for a modernist identity from the OTUA for the purposes of its communication, the organization being the main funder of the Union of Modern Artists (UAM), an association of which he was a member. Paradoxically, the magazine Acier, organ of the OTUA, does not have the eponymous character in headline, but of a titling letter drawn by its care, rather distinct from the coldmetal type. Acier is not used in the layout either, and the titles are set in Europe. Acier is associated with Banjo and Film in a brochure praising the success of Europe, published by Deberny et Peignot, in 1934.

In truth, Acier, Banjo or Film are not part of a program, but correspond on the part of Deberny et Peignot to a will to widen the market of the “inscription antiques” intended for titlings, which is particularly flourishing in the 1930s. It is a posteriori that the company brings together the three types by designating them as “satellites” of Europe. If Film is directly inspired by Europe, Acier has only a distant family resemblance, as does Banjo.

Jean-Baptiste Levée restaurated and republished Acier (Noir et Gris), a tribute to the character of Cassandre for Production Type, in 2010 and 2019.