Clément Perret’s Exercitatio alphabetica (1569)

The Exercitatio alphabetica, published in Antwerp in 1569, was unique in form and content because the whole book was packed with richness and variation. The article shows how this book brings together three different domains: the demands of calligraphic textbooks, the ideals of a virtuoso artist (the writing master, inventor of ornaments and reproduction artist), and the creative principles of the art of eloquence as formulated by Erasmus of Rotterdam in his textbook De copia. The ideals set out here were meant to act as guiding principles for the visual artists whose work the book displayed and for the authors who were responsible for text selection and additions, as well as for users of the book itself. This art book also showed the latter how difficult and complicated but also how beautiful the art of calligraphy could be, and provided readers the opportunity to practice through observation, reading, and imitation.