Culture
Words by Dan Reynolds
The specimen of La Perle, 1785
The specimen of La Perle (1785) is a publication whose small size is stunning: at a time when typefaces were not given specific measures but names, the Perle refers to what could be nowadays 4pt.
The specimen of La Perle (1785) is a publication whose small size is stunning: at a time when typefaces were not given specific measures but names, the Perle refers to what could be nowadays 4pt.
The dimensions of the book, a bare 6x7cm, are just right to contain the printing proofs of the tiniest typeface by Louis-René Luce, the XVIIIth century master of meticulous lead type engraving.
La Perle has to be replaced in context: this technical achievement was made at a time when typography as a craft was challenged everyday, and whose two main figures in France were Louis-René Luce and Pierre-Simon Fournier. The first was a master with small sizes; the latter was known for its typefaces for musical notation. More than just a specimen, La Perle is a masterpiece of a craftsman at the top of his art.
This copy of La Perle touches the heart for a specific detail. We can see on the first page a handwritten note from Étienne-Alexandre-Jacques Anisson-Dupéron, who was the director of the French royal printworks. The note is addressed to Nicolas Ruault, editor and humanist of this period. This three hundred years old testimony is a dive into the depth of history and a moving proof of the passing of time.
Documents: Biblioteca Produzione
