Calligraphic Type Design in the Digital Age: An Exhibition in Honor of the Contributions of Hermann and Gudrun Zapf

Hermann Zapf and Gudrun Zapf von Hesse designed some of the most distinctive and influential typefaces of our time. This remarkable couple are master calligraphers who met in the milieu of the D. Stempel AG type foundry in post-war Germany. They have been designing original types based on their calligraphy ever since, to the acclaim of typophiles, calligraphers, and graphic artists around the world. In their honor, a “Zapfest” of events, including an exhibition tracing the calligraphic evolution of thirteen Zapf typefaces, was presented by the Friends of Calligraphy at the San Francisco Public Library in September and October 2001. Fourteen other distinguished type designers were also invited to participate, including  are Alan Blackman, Erik van Blokland, Rick Cusick, Timothy Donaldson, Jean Evans, Phill Grimshaw, Cynthia Hollandsworth, Akira Kobayashi, Richard Lipton, Jacqueline Sakwa, Robert Slimbach, Viktor Solt-Bittner, Jovica Veljovic and Julian Waters. This is a book about it all.