7/1/2023 0 Comments Bembo typeface logoSome of Yale's unique characteristics are its curved leg of the "h", its flat-topped "A", its open apertures of the "c" and "e", and the bent tops of its lowercase ascenders. The late 15th century De Aetna typeface, cut by Francesco Griffo for Aldus Manutius, served as a basis for Yale, with elements of one of Carter's earlier typefaces, Galliard. This led me in turn to the Beinecke Library to pore over their copy of the book and its type-the archetype of Roman type for me. For me, the moment when the first true synthesis occurred was in the type of De Aetna. The signs, whether free-standing or attached to walls, reminded me of inscriptions, and this led me to think about the inscriptional origins of Roman caps and the everlasting problem of reconciling capitals with lowercase. Carter has said that this was the first time in designing a typeface that he focused more on capital than lowercase letters, since he knew that on the building signs the lettering would be in capitals. Carter's first priority was therefore readability, as well as a balance between dignity and uniqueness. Carter, who has taught at the Yale School of Art since 1976, currently holding the rank of Senior Critic, was asked to design a universal typeface for Yale University by John Gambell, the University Printer Yale was first designed for signage on all Yale University buildings.
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