We cannot set about inventing an entirely new form
of type, as this would have to be in harmony with a
radical reorganization of the language. We must
remain true to our basic letter-forms, and try to develop
them further. Classic Roman type, the original form of
all historical variations of type, must still be our start
ing point. All the variations of shape have been formed
freely according to the style and the caligraphy of the
type designer, and it is just this freedom which has
been responsible for so many mistakes. Geometry,
however, gives us the most exact forms. Albrecht
Diirer's endeavours to resolve both the Roman and the
German Gothic type into their constructive basic
elements, unfortunately were never carried beyond
their experimental stage. The Bayer-Type recently
produced by the Berthold Type Foundry represents
a practical attempt to give a modern expression to
classical Roman type by means of geometrical construc
tion of form.
240
Present uncon-
structional forms
of the letter "a"
Bayer Type lower case "g"
Example of constructional form of letter A. [Bayer Type)