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French Royal Greek type
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French Royal Greek type

writing
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The French Royal Greek type, also known as grecs du roi, was a significant development in the history of printing. This typeface was commissioned by the French king Francis I and was based on the handwriting of Cretan scribes, particularly Angelus Vergecius, who worked in the king's library at Fontainebleau.1

Claude Garamond, a renowned French type designer, cut this Greek type around 1545. His work set a standard for Greek printing that remained influential until the early 19th century. The development of this typeface was part of a broader trend in the Italian Renaissance, where scholars and printers began to adopt and adapt Greek scripts for printed materials, influenced by the influx of Greek manuscripts and scholars.21

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Romain du Roi
  2. calligraphy - The Italian Renaissance
  3. Claude Garamond

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