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Cataneo italic writing


James Pickering

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I model my primary Italic writing hand on the Cancellaresca corsiva (Chancery cursive) of Bernardino Cataneo a teaching master of Siena, Italy, circa 1545. I admire this Chancery hand for its exquisite beauty which in my opinion surpasses all others. It features numerous pen lifts within and between letters, making it eminently legible (readable) -- the cornerstone of good handwriting.

 

As Stephen Harvard points out in his introduction to the published facsimile Cataneo Manuscript: "Another sign of the formality of Cataneo's corsiva is that virtually each letter stands alone; there are none of the diagonal joins that inevitably develop in a true running script."

 

I employ my adaptation of Cataneo's Cancellaresca corsiva for correspondence, writing out books, greeting & condolence cards, etc. (frequently employing Roman Capital & humanistic small roman lettering for headers), although I use my own flourished Majuscule letter forms.

 

Although currently out of print ..........

 

AN ITALIC COPYBOOK, THE CATANEO MANUSCRIPT, Stephen Harvard, Cambridge : Published for Houghton Library by Taplinger Publishing Co. (1981)

 

.......... is available from numerous online used book purveyors.

 

 

Following are two examples of my adaptation of Cataneo cursive italic writing.

 

 

http://www.jp29.org/cal36.jpg

 

http://www.jp29.org/File0209.jpg

Edited by James Pickering
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  • 8 years later...

I model my primary Italic writing hand on the Cancellaresca corsiva (Chancery cursive) of Bernardino Cataneo a teaching master of Siena, Italy, circa 1545. I admire this Chancery hand for its exquisite beauty which in my opinion surpasses all others. It features numerous pen lifts within and between letters, making it eminently legible (readable) -- the cornerstone of good handwriting.

 

As Stephen Harvard points out in his introduction to the published facsimile Cataneo Manuscript: "Another sign of the formality of Cataneo's corsiva is that virtually each letter stands alone; there are none of the diagonal joins that inevitably develop in a true running script."

 

I employ my adaptation of Cataneo's Cancellaresca corsiva for correspondence, writing out books, greeting & condolence cards, etc. (frequently employing Roman Capital & humanistic small roman lettering for headers), although I use my own flourished Majuscule letter forms.

 

Although currently out of print ..........

 

AN ITALIC COPYBOOK, THE CATANEO MANUSCRIPT, Stephen Harvard, Cambridge : Published for Houghton Library by Taplinger Publishing Co. (1981)

 

.......... is available from numerous online used book purveyors.

 

 

Following are two examples of my adaptation of Cataneo cursive italic writing.

 

 

http://www.jp29.org/cal36.jpg

 

http://www.jp29.org/File0209.jpg

 

That's some really nice Italic samples. I really enjoy seeing broad edge penwork like this. Nice job...love the red & black. Love the Roman caps too. Great job!

Maker of Custom Oblique Pen Holders

 

Visit me at http://uniqueobliques.etsy.com

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Thanks you James. Beautiful writing - a joy to read.

 

And, thank you for your link. Very helpful for someone like myself.

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice; damn

There goes that fox again.

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  • 3 years later...

I'm jumping into the Cataneo bandwagon. Aside from reading your website jp29.org. I found these on the web. Also, I am following your recommended books:

Arrighi - Operina

Palatino - Libro di Giovambattista Palatino

Tagliente - Thesavro de Scrittori

and Stephen Harvard - The Italic Copybook: Cataneo Manuscript

 

23645515492_c3fbc312f3_c.jpg

23645515762_054d1684be_z.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
  • 3 months later...

I found a copy of the Cataneo Manuscript published by Stephen Harvard at the Boston public library in the rare books department. I took pictures of the 20 folios and uploaded them to a tumblr: cataneomanuscript.tumblr.com

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

I model my primary Italic writing hand on the Cancellaresca corsiva (Chancery cursive) of Bernardino Cataneo a teaching master of Siena, Italy, circa 1545. I admire this Chancery hand for its exquisite beauty which in my opinion surpasses all others. It features numerous pen lifts within and between letters, making it eminently legible (readable) -- the cornerstone of good handwriting.

 

As Stephen Harvard points out in his introduction to the published facsimile Cataneo Manuscript: "Another sign of the formality of Cataneo's corsiva is that virtually each letter stands alone; there are none of the diagonal joins that inevitably develop in a true running script."

 

I employ my adaptation of Cataneo's Cancellaresca corsiva for correspondence, writing out books, greeting & condolence cards, etc. (frequently employing Roman Capital & humanistic small roman lettering for headers), although I use my own flourished Majuscule letter forms.

 

Although currently out of print ..........

 

AN ITALIC COPYBOOK, THE CATANEO MANUSCRIPT, Stephen Harvard, Cambridge : Published for Houghton Library by Taplinger Publishing Co. (1981)

 

.......... is available from numerous online used book purveyors.

 

 

Following are two examples of my adaptation of Cataneo cursive italic writing.

 

 

http://www.jp29.org/cal36.jpg

 

http://www.jp29.org/File0209.jpg

 

Absolutely beautiful!!!

 

Congratulations.

 

I am most admirative of those who by constancy in practicing achieve such wonders. I am uncapable.

WomenWagePeace

 

SUPORTER OF http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/100x75q90/631/uh2SgO.jpg

 

My avatar is a painting by the imense surrealist painter Remedios Varo

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