A short overview of stone-inscriptions using the humanistic capitalis typeface

Abstract

This essay is looking over the use of Humanist capitalis letter types in the first Renaissance period in the Hungarian Kingdom. In the case of stone inscriptions, the Humanist capitalis letter remained the most characteristic type from 1467 till the historical epoch-marking year of 1541. Its provincial variations appeared in the country at the beginning of the 16th century and became widely accepted till the 20th century. The excessive use of ligatures and enclaves became more marked after 1500 and they were fashionable till 1541. The type called early Humanist capitalis can be observed on a seal of King Matthias from 1472. Its general usage can be dated to the first decades of the 16th century.