Firmin Didot, Feuille d’épreuve de la fonderie de Firmin Didot, 1820.

It was not until 1820 that a new specimen of Firmin Didot’s typefaces appeared, the previous one dated from 1790. That is, shortly before Firmin handed over his business to his sons, in 1827 — which then included a type foundry, a paper factory, a printing house and a bookstore — to devote itself to politics. It presents Roman and corresponding italics in twelve sizes (from 5pt to 16pt), three sizes of Greek, two of Russian, one of Blackletter, as well as two large sizes of bastard and coulée (48pt and 120pt). But half of the large folio plate is devoted to the round and English style, which Firmin considers to be his masterpieces and which he constantly perfects and completes since 1805.