2004 Lieberman Memorial Lecture John Downer

The American Printing History Association

2004 J. Ben Lieberman Memorial Lecture (held in 2005)

About APHA

Printing History

Regional Chapters

APHA Events

Join APHA

Original Announcement

John Downer
Trash or Fertilizer? The Uses (or Not) of History in Type Design
Saturday May 21, 2005, 10 A.M., Newberry Library, Chicago

THE AMERICAN PRINTING HISTORY ASSOCIATION is pleased to announce that distinguished type designer John Downer will deliver the 2004 Lieberman Lecture at Chicago's Newberry Library on Saturday May 21, 2005. Mr. Downer will speak on "Trash or Fertilizer? The Uses (or Not) of History in Type Design." The program will coincide with other events at the Newberry Library and will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Paul F. Gehl, Curator of the John M. Wing Collection at the Library.

John Downer will show letterforms from various sources and disciplines to illustrate how text type takes its form from both typographic and nontypographic exemplars. He will discuss the ways we have come to regard certain letterforms as archaic, and others as contemporary. His views on the subject are those of a master sign painter who became a type designer in his quest to learn more about the structure of formal letterforms and their history.

The practice of reviving typefaces for the sake of making facsimiles began slightly over a hundred years ago, and we now see that the number of typeface revivals exceeds the number of superior historical types worthy of being revived. Consequently, we have an abundance of revivals that are based on other revivals. The emphasis of John Downer's presentation will be on historical letterforms from diverse sources and miscellaneous media, which have influenced the development of type, typographic styles, and fashions in printing. Downer will describe both how hand painted letterforms and how inscribed letterforms have historically been used as indirect sources of inspiration in the craft of cutting punches for printing type. A highlight of Downer's argument is that the current practice of reviving historical typefaces has deviated from the original purpose of making revivals. He will also explain how typefaces which, to our eyes look normal today, evolved gradually from rather crude characters found in the earliest roman text types. Some of the images in the presentation show letterforms that are distinctly typographic in appearance, but nontypographic in execution. In this sense, discarded letter shapes become fresh in new contexts, whereas overused letter shapes often lose their original dynamism and sparkle, becoming too commonplace for readers who have discerning tastes in typography. Downer's observations will call into question traditional motives for reviving types, while applauding the efforts of certain notable attempts to adapt archaic letter shapes to new purposes, in the name of typeface revivalism.

The Monotype Foundation will sponsor a panel discussion following the Lieberman Lecture. Paul F. Gehl, printing history curator at the Newberry, will moderate a discussion of the issues raised by John Downer's talk. In addition to Mr. Downer, participants will include: Alan Haley, Monotype Foundation; Adam Kallish, designer and design educator; Alice Schreyer, The University of Chicago; Sumner Stone, Stone Type Foundry; and Cheryl Towler Weese, Studio Blue.

Related Events
The lecture and panel are scheduled to take place during a great number of other special events at the Newberry Library. The Library will host an exhibition organized by the Caxton Club of Chicago, "Disbound and Dispersed: The Leaf Book Considered." This thought-provoking show includes numerous examples of historical leaves and modern fine-press typography. (The exhibition will later travel to a limited number of other North American cities.) In addition, the Caxton Club, Chicago's premiere society for bibliophiles, has scheduled its major program on leaf books for the day preceding the Lieberman Lecture, on Friday, May 20 at the Library from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.. There will be a panel-style program, Virtue and Vandalism: The Ethics of Breaking Books, with speakers from the book trade, the cultural-property-law community, and the library world. APHA members are invited to arrive early so as to participate in both the Friday Caxton Club-Newberry panel and the Saturday Lieberman Lecture. In addition, participants may join friends of the Newberry Library at an early-music performance on Friday evening, "The Musicians of Venus and Mercury," a program of virtuoso instrumental music from 15th-century Ferrara.

John Downer
Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1951, John Downer grew up and began sign painting in the Pacific Northwest while he was in high school. He finished his apprenticeship after college, then started graduate studies in art at The University of Iowa, where he received MA and MFA degrees in painting. Since 1973 he has resided in Iowa City, and lectures throughout the U.S. and Europe. His training consisted of more than ten years as a journeyman sign painter and showcard writer. Downer's expertise in painted letterforms distinguishes his approach from that taken by most other type designers. Rather than referring to existing type or historical models for his original designs, Downer draws from the rich heritage of American sign painting. Downer has continued down the path of commercial brush lettering while adapting his personal notions of letterform and proportion to computer-based design of type.

APHA's Lieberman lecture, given annually at a different institution by a figure distinguished in the history of printing or the book arts, commemorates J. Ben Lieberman (1914-1984), founder and first President of the American Printing History Association. Past speakers include Roderick Stinehour, Jack Stauffacher, Barry Moser, Johanna Drucker, John Randle, G. Thomas Tanselle, Claire Van Vliet, and Paul Needham. This year's lecture is co-sponsored by its host, the Newberry Library.

The Newberry Library, open to the public without charge, is an independent research library and educational institution dedicated to the expansion and dissemination of knowledge in the humanities. As one of the world's leading repositories of a broad range of books and manuscripts relating to the civilizations of western Europe and the Americas, the Library's mission is to acquire and preserve research collections of such materials, and to provide for and promote their effective use by a diverse community of users.

The Newberry Library is located at 60 W. Walton St. Chicago, IL 60610-7324. The exhibition gallery is open Monday, Friday, and Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The galleries are closed on Sunday. For directions and other information about exhibits, call (312) 255-3691. The lecture will begin at 10 A.M. and light refreshments will be provided.

Founded in 1974, the American Printing History Association encourages the study of printing history and related arts and skills, including calligraphy, typefounding, typography, papermaking, bookbinding, illustration, and publishing. APHA promotes research and scholarship through conferences (held in a different location each year), fellowships, publications (a scholarly journal, Printing History; a quarterly newsletter; and books), and the annual Lieberman lecture. It recognizes distinguished achievement in the field of printing history through annual Individual and Institutional awards. In addition, regional chapters sponsor active programs of lectures, field trips, and other opportunities to meet fellow APHA members on an informal basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION or PRESS CONTACTS please contact Paul Romaine, Vice-President for Programs, APHA, P.O. Box 4519, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-4519.

Return to Lieberman Lectures
Return to About APHA