Geofroy Tory, “Champ fleury ou l’art et science de la proportion des lettres”, 1529

In 1529, Geofroy Tory, a typical Renaissance figure who was a philosopher, bookseller and ornamentalist, published in French the Champfleury, a manual for teaching the drawing and engraving of Roman letters, shortly before being appointed “imprimeur du Roy”, a title created for him by François Ier. Champfleury pays homage to Vitruvius, “prince of the authors of architecture and buildings”. It represents a synthesis of Renaissance theories of art, in which man is the center of all things. Using astonishing comparative figures, Tory demonstrates that the correct construction of the letter derives from the proportions of the human body. The A “has enlarged and blunt legs, as a man has his feet and legs when walking and passing beyond”, and he suggests techniques for drawing the letter, drawing inspiration from the work of Felice Feliciano or Leonardo da Vinci.

Champfleury also embodies the desire to forge a new style of writing within the framework of a language in the making. Tory wanted to “do honor to the French language” and deplored the fact that it was not as well regulated as Hebrew, Greek or Latin. Although written in an archaic spelling and composed with sketchy punctuation, it is the first work to establish spelling rules, notably concerning the use of accents, quotation marks and apostrophes, and to combine typographical reform with spelling reform. Champfleury was a reference for the printers of his time, who used the recommended letters and new signs.

Document: Geofroy Tory, Champ fleury, au quel est contenu l'art et science de la deue et vraye proportion des lettres attiques, quon dit autrement lettres antiques et vulgairement lettres romaines, proportionnees selon le corps et visage humain, Paris, 1529. Bibliothèque nationale de France.