The Penrose Annual
Encyclopedia
The Penrose Annual was a London
-based review of graphic arts
, printed nearly annually from 1895 to 1982.
Penrose began in 1895 as Process Work Yearbook – Penrose's Annual. Lund Humphries has printed the publication since 1897 and has been responsible for its content since 1906. Lund Humphries adoption of Monotype technology in 1906 influenced the production of Penrose: “It soon became a policy to try out each of Monotype's new types in Penrose.”
The 1938 edition was notable for its text and binding designed by Jan Tschichold
. Articles in issues from that era were authored by Beatrice Warde
, Stanley Morison
, Moholy-Nagy, Nikolaus Pevsner
and other leading design writers. Allan Delafons edited Penrose from 1958 through 1962. Lund Humphries then had Typographica
editor Herbert Spencer
edit the annual from 1964 through 1973. Spencer's modernist impact on the Penrose was immediate: his first cover is printed with a stark gothic sans serif at roughly a 40° angle to the spine. Penrose's content was significant in bridging technical aspects of printing and artistic aspects of design. According to St Bride
librarian Nigel Roche, “Its importance then was largely as a link between disparate areas of the trade. Its importance today is in the seminal articles that it published that still have reference value: monographs on individuals; articles on various matters of typesetting
.”
The publication was most substantial (in size and influence) in the 1950s and 1960s.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based review of graphic arts
Graphic arts
A type of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of art forms. Graphic art is typically two-dimensional and includes calligraphy, photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, lithography, typography, serigraphy , and bindery. Graphic art also consists of drawn plans and layouts for interior...
, printed nearly annually from 1895 to 1982.
Penrose began in 1895 as Process Work Yearbook – Penrose's Annual. Lund Humphries has printed the publication since 1897 and has been responsible for its content since 1906. Lund Humphries adoption of Monotype technology in 1906 influenced the production of Penrose: “It soon became a policy to try out each of Monotype's new types in Penrose.”
The 1938 edition was notable for its text and binding designed by Jan Tschichold
Jan Tschichold
Jan Tschichold was a typographer, book designer, teacher and writer.-Life:Tschichold was the son of a provincial signwriter, and he was trained in calligraphy...
. Articles in issues from that era were authored by Beatrice Warde
Beatrice Warde
Beatrice Warde , was a communicator on typography. She was the only daughter of May Lamberton Becker, a journalist on the staff of the New York Herald Tribune, and Gustave Becker, composer and teacher.Beatrice was educated at Barnard College at Columbia University...
, Stanley Morison
Stanley Morison
Stanley Morison was an English typographer, designer and historian of printing.Born in Wanstead, Essex, Morison spent most of his childhood and early adult years at the family home in Fairfax Road, Harringay...
, Moholy-Nagy, Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
and other leading design writers. Allan Delafons edited Penrose from 1958 through 1962. Lund Humphries then had Typographica
Typographica
Typographica was the name of a journal of typography and visual arts founded and edited by Herbert Spencer from 1949 to 1967. Spencer was just 25 years old when the first Typographica was issued....
editor Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer (graphic designer)
Herbert Spencer was a British designer, editor, writer, photographer and teacher, born in London on June 22, 1924, and died March 11, 2002 ....
edit the annual from 1964 through 1973. Spencer's modernist impact on the Penrose was immediate: his first cover is printed with a stark gothic sans serif at roughly a 40° angle to the spine. Penrose's content was significant in bridging technical aspects of printing and artistic aspects of design. According to St Bride
St Bride Library
St Bride Library is a library in London primarily devoted to printing, book arts, typography and graphic design...
librarian Nigel Roche, “Its importance then was largely as a link between disparate areas of the trade. Its importance today is in the seminal articles that it published that still have reference value: monographs on individuals; articles on various matters of typesetting
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
.”
The publication was most substantial (in size and influence) in the 1950s and 1960s.
Annuals and years
- Annuals 8–21 were published annually and correlate with the years 1903–1916.
- Annuals 22–42 were published annually and correlate with the years 1920–1940.
- Annuals 43–56 were published annually and correlate with the years 1949–1962.
- Annuals 57–69 were published annually and correlate with the years 1964–1976.
- Annuals 70–74 were published annually and correlate with the years 1978–1982.
See also
- Richard Eckersley
- Stanley MorisonStanley MorisonStanley Morison was an English typographer, designer and historian of printing.Born in Wanstead, Essex, Morison spent most of his childhood and early adult years at the family home in Fairfax Road, Harringay...
- Jan TschicholdJan TschicholdJan Tschichold was a typographer, book designer, teacher and writer.-Life:Tschichold was the son of a provincial signwriter, and he was trained in calligraphy...