The grid of Gothic scripts Bart Jaski, keeper of manuscripts, Utrecht University Library (online November 2013) The subdivisions and nomenclatures of Gothic scripts have for long been a subject of debate. The latest major contribution on these issues is Albert Derolez, The palaeography of Gothic manuscript books, from the twelfth to the early sixteenth century (Cambridge 2003). The six basic Gothic scripts which Derolez recognizes, and the criteria he uses to distinguish between them, can be visualized in a grid: fſ on the baseline
a __ a
| fſ | below the baseline | ____________ ____________ | | | cursiva | | textualis | | antiquior | |___________ |_______________________ |___________ | | semi| | semi- | cursiva | | textualis | hybrida | hybrida | recentior | |___________ |___________ |___________ |___________ | no loops
| mixed / | | not always | | loops |
always loops
a __ a
on the ascenders of bhkl
This grid can be used as a basic and simple diagnostic tool to quickly see whether a script is, for example, a textualis (two-compartment a; f and ſ on the baseline; no loops on the ascenders of bhkl) or hybrida (single-compartment a; f and ſ below the baseline; no loops on the ascenders of bhkl). Three levels of execution (rather subjective): Formata (calligraphic), Libraria (medium), Currens (informal). Within the calligraphic Textualis Formata (or Textura) one can distinguish between: Quadratus (or Fractus): diamond-shaped serifs on the headline and baseline Semiquadratus: diamond-shaped serifs on the headline Rotundus: diagonal hairlines as serifs on the headline and baseline Prescissus ('cut off'): diagonal hairlines as serifs on the headline * Subdivisions of the Textualis (13th – 15th c.): Northern Textualis Southern Textualis (or Rotunda), e.g. Littera Bononiensis; no spiky extension at head- or baseline * Subdivision of the Cursiva Antiquior (13th c.): Anglicana (England): s = 6, also at the beginning of a word * Subdivisions of the Cursiva Recentior (14th and 15th c.): Cancelleresca (Italy): long looped ascenders, long pointed descenders, small letter bodies Bastarda (Bâtarde or Lettre Bourguignonne) (Burgundy and Low Countries): calligraphic cursiva, bold character, f and ſ diagonal with thick strokes; round and angular Secretary (England): continuation of Anglicana, but with single-compartment a * Subdivisions of the Hybrida and Semihybrida (15th c.): Loopless Bastarda (courts of France and Belgium): Bastarda without loops Netherlandisch Hybrida (monastic script): f and ſ vertical, vertical hairlines on r and t Northern European (Semi)hybrida: informal Bastarda; many forms, at times rather Cursiva Fractura (Germany): calligraphic, fanciful, rounded and angular, spiky character Mercantesca (Italy, also 14th c.): vertical with broad letters, many complicated ligatures Iberian (Semi)hybrida: r extending below the baseline; g with a long stroke to the left.
