San-serif typefaces, that is, letter forms that do not have serif extensions at the end of strokes, go by a variety of alternate names, but the most common is Grotesque, or in German, as we prefer, Grotesk. There seems to be some difference of opinion about the origin of the term, but the moniker was established in the 19th century, and the majority opinion seems to be because san serifs appeared so unseemly and poorly formed compared to the serif letter forms that Europeans had been used to reading for nearly two millennia. Wikipedia, citing Monotype Corporation, says that the term originates from the “Italian grottesco, meaning ‘belonging to the cave’ due to their simple geometric appearance,” which makes little sense to us.
While serif typefaces remain predominant for most printed material, san-serifs have become most prevalent for digital display and public signage. San-serifs or Grotesks were used sparingly and for specific usages and effects for a century, but the second half of the 20th century saw a huge expansion in design and application. This week we feature some of the most recognized Grotesks designed before 1960, from the prolific, Milwaukee-born designer Morris Fuller Benton’s 1908 News Gothic, through the ultra-ubiquitous Helvetica designed by Max Miedinger in 1957, to our own favorite san serif, Hermann Zapf’s 1958 Optima. These specimens are drawn from our copy of American type designer, historian, and theorist Stephen Coles’s The Anatomy of Type, published in 2012 by Harper Design. From top to bottom they are:
1.) News Gothic, designed by Morris Fuller Benton, released 1908. Originally designed for American Type Founders (ATF), Coles notes that "this is the archetypal American sans serif" and "became the most popular sans in the States for several decades." The version shown here is Bitstream's updated design.
2.) Futura, designed by German designer Paul Renner and released by the Bauer Type Foundry in 1927. Influenced by Bauhaus design experiments, Renner began with straight lines and circular shapes, modifying it to the classic typeface we know today. The version shown here is one of many redesigns, this one by Marie-Thérèse Koreman.
3.) Gill Sans, designed by English artist and designer Eric Gill and released by Monotype from 1928-1932. This much utilized san serif is itself beholden to Edward Johnston's type for the London Underground. The lower-case g is distinctive, and Gill himself described it as "a pair of spectacles."
4.) Helvetica, conceived by Eduard Hoffmann and designed by Max Miedinger, released by the Haas Type Foundry as Neue Haas Grotesk in 1957, and renamed Helvetica in 1960 by the Stempel Type Foundry. Since its release, Helvetica has become the most widely known typeface because of its commanding ubiquity, and is both heralded and reviled for its universal utility. The version shown here is a 1980s redesign called Neue Helvetica designed for Linotype.
5.) Univers, designed by Adrian Frutiger and released by Deberny & Peignot in 1957, the same year as Helvetica. Much like Helvetica, Univers embodies Beatrice Warde's imperative that "type should be invisible." The design is spare and neutral, "delivering readable text while drawing very little attention to itself."
6.) Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf and released by D. Stempel AG in 1958. This is our favorite because the flares that Zapf utilizes create a san serif with the character of a serif font. Coles calls it "elegant serenity" and "tranquil beauty" but also "the stuff of the establishment."
View our post on Edward Johnston’s London Underground type.
