V. Changing the concept of illustration

Clément Perret. Exercitatio alphabetica….  – [Anvers: Christophe Plantin], 1569. In-folio.

This remarkable series of copper engravings reproduced many models of handwritten scripts in seven different languages and displays a few exercises of calligraphic virtuosity (mirror writing). It is the work of the talented but enigmatic writing master Clément Perret, born in Brussels in 1551. This manual shows a new standard for the presentation of writing models, replacing the wood engravings traditionally used to reproduce the calligraphy with copper engravings: for a long time, it was considered the first one of its kind, but the existence of at least one French precedence, two years earlier, should be noted.

   The decorative borders were designed by an anonymous master (Hans Vredeman de Vries? The Van Doetichum brothers? Perret himself?) and engraved by Cornelis De Hooghe, student of the great Antwerp engraver Philips Galle.

   Perret, who had taken the initiative for the project and had the expensive copperplates engraved, retained full ownership of the copies; Plantin seems to have only played a role of distributor.

Cultura Fonds: LC 370