Optima
1958 typeface by Hermann Zapf / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Optima is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Hermann Zapf and released by the D. Stempel AG foundry, Frankfurt, West Germany in 1958.
Category | Sans-serif |
---|---|
Classification | Humanist |
Designer(s) | Hermann Zapf |
Foundry | Stempel Linotype |
Date released | 1958 |
Variations | Optima Nova |
Though classified as a sans-serif, Optima has a subtle swelling at the terminals suggesting a glyphic serif. Optima was inspired by classical Roman capitals and the stonecarving on Renaissance-period tombstones Zapf saw in Florence on a 1950 holiday to Italy.[1]
Zapf intended Optima to be a typeface that could serve for both body text and titling. To prove its versatility, Zapf set his entire book About Alphabets in the regular weight.[2] Zapf retained an interest in the design, collaborating on variants and expansions into his eighties.