Robert Granjon

French printer

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June 29, 2026

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Robert Granjon was a French printer and type designer active in the 16th century. He is noted for his contributions to typography, particularly his attempts to create new major typefaces beyond the established roman, italic, and black letter families.1

Granjon is recognized for fashioning notable versions of existing Garamond types. He also experimented with a typeface called Civilité, which he envisioned as a distinct national type for French printers. Although Civilité resembled a cursive black letter, it ultimately found use primarily as a display face rather than for book printing.1

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typography
France
…departures in type design was Robert Granjon, who, in addition to fashioning some notable versions of Garamond types, also tried—with his type called Civilité—to create a fourth major typeface to be different from and stand alongside roman, italic, and Gothic. He envisioned it as a national type for the use…
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…departures in type design was Robert Granjon, who, in addition to fashioning some notable versions of Garamond types, also tried—with his type called Civilité—to create a fourth major typeface to be different from and stand alongside roman, italic, and Gothic. He envisioned it as a national type for the use…
Read More