Fertel’s La Science pratique de l’imprimerie: the first French treatise on typography

Martin-Dominique Fertel (1684–1752) was a printer and bookseller in Saint-Omer. After perfecting his skills in various towns in France, the Netherlands, Savoy, and Italy, he established himself in 1713 in Saint-Omer with simple authorization from the municipal authorities. He was not admitted as a printer by order of the Council until August 22, 1726, three years after the publication of his Science Pratique.

The work is considered the first general treatise on typography. He has an encyclopedic ambition, which in the Age of Enlightenment was appropriate.

It is divided into four parts: the first deals with the composition of characters. ornamentation, titles, page architecture, etc. — this is the most directly typographical part — it is illustrated with figures giving examples of compositions of title pages, models of placards and posters. royal declarations. indulgences. etc.

The second part provides information on imposition, trimmings and correction; the third, punctuation and different signs used in printing; finally, the fourth contains the instructions necessary to make a good print, knowledge of the press, paper, shapes, printing in red and black, preparation of inks, black of smoke, varnish, etc.

It includes two beautiful folding plates engraved in intaglio showing presses and tables presenting the composition of cases and a genealogical table. Seventy-one figures on wood in the text give instructions for folding the impositions according to the different formats so as to make the different quires in the printed books.

The author goes so far as to popularize words like “coquille” (“typo”): “ If a composer does not know the spelling well, he is liable to make a number of typos… This word means to throw the letters in one place for another. »

Document: Martin-Dominique Fertel, La Science pratique de l’imprimerie contenant des instructions très faciles pour se perfectionner dans cet art…, 1723. In 4°, 21 x 29,7 cm, 349 p. Bibliothèque de l’école Estienne.