Italian hand

The term "Italian hand" in calligraphy refers to a script characterized by roundness and a fine, sloping line. This style originated in Italy around the 12th century, evolving from Roman cursive. It was revived by calligraphers in the early 15th century and became the model for early Italian printing types, as well as influencing modern English handwriting.1

This script is also known as italic script or cancellaresca corsiva. It was developed by Italian humanists who mistakenly believed they were reviving ancient Roman scripts. The Florentine scribe Niccolò Niccoli is credited with combining the rhythm of black-letter script with the inclined strokes of antica corsiva, which then served as the basis for italic printing types. The cancellaresca corsiva, perfected by scribes of the papal chancery, became a popular script in the 16th century for its lively yet disciplined appearance and adaptability to different writing speeds and nib styles.234