ABSTRACT
Germans Konrad Sweynheim and Arnold Pannartz began printing at Subiaco, east of Rome, their first publication being Cicero, De oratore. Their press was transferred to Rome, where the humanist bishop and papal librarian Giovanni Andrea Bussi was closely involved with their work. Giovanni Antonio Campano another bishop, edited texts for the printers Ulrich Hahn and Giovanni Filippo Lignamine during the early years of Roman printing. The design of all early typefaces was based on handwriting, so that printed books could resemble manuscripts. Since printing originated in Germany, the earliest typefaces were based on German hands, known as Gothic, black letter or textura. Germans Konrad Sweynheim and Arnold Pannartz, working in Italy, cut the first roman type, based on ninth-century Carolingian script. Nicolas Jenson's roman type of 1470 has been particularly influential. The first cursive or italic type was designed by Francesco Griffo for the Aldine press in Venice in 1501.
