An Essay on Typography

Eric Gill’s opinionated manifesto on typography argues that “a good piece of lettering is as beautiful a thing to see as any sculpture or painted picture”. This essay explores the place of typography in culture and is also a moral treatise celebrating the role of craftsmanship in an industrial age. Gill, a sculptor, engraver, printmaker and creator of many classic typefaces that can be seen around us today, fused art, history and polemic in a visionary work which has been hugely influential on modern graphic design.

• “Written with clarity, humility and a touch of humour … timeless and absorbing” Paul Rand, The New York Times
• “His lettering was clear, confident and hugely influential on the development of modern type design. The world has now caught up with Gill” Guardian