orthogonal plane

Have you purchased your very own copy of Gudrun Zapf von Hesse: Bindings, Handwritten Books, Typefaces, Examples of Lettering, and Drawings? Yes? Then perhaps you are as awestruck as I am; much more than the wife of Hermann Zapf, much more than a typographer, Gudrun Zapf von Hesse is the consummate book artist, and you – proud owner – know that this retrospective provides ample evidence, and that you needn’t read on.

No? Oh dear... Here you are, then. Skip dinner out this week and hand over the $75 – you will not be sorry.

Nearly half of the 220-page review is devoted to Zapf von Hesse’s bookbindings; of particular beauty are (1) her edition of Goethe’s Faust, in which interrupted rules tooled in gold work to mesmerizing effect, and (2) Das Blumen ABC, by Hermann Zapf, wherein ornamental stamps crafted by Zapf von Hesse convey august serenity.

Zapf von Hesse’s mastery of Carolingian, Civilite, Cursive, Roman, and Uncial script styles is displayed over 30 pages; the 60+ pages that follow show some of her typefaces – with particular emphasis on Diotima, Hallmark Shakespeare, and Bitstream Carmina – as well as samples of her hand lettering. While the former are indeed impressive, the latter are stunning: The alphabet and quotations plate shown on the website and found on p 193 is just one of many of her breathtaking watercolor and ink creations. And the final 15 pages treat the reader to examples of Zapf von Hesse’s drawings and paintings, which range from simple, monochromatic geometric shapes, to landscapes in pastel, to flowers in vivid color.

The volume was designed by Zapf von Hesse and was set in Nofret by Hermann Zapf. There is little text outside of an eight-page introduction by Hans A. Halbey. But of course, this is work that speaks for itself and stands on its own; let the commentary, critique, and explanation wait for another time, another place.

29-June 2002