The Bartolomeo typeface is inspired by, and named after, the calligrapher Bartolomeo Sanvito of Padua (1433—1511). He may have been a pupil of Francesco Squarcione, a Paduan artist famous as the teacher of Andrea Mantegna.

Excursions to visit sites with Roman inscriptions and statues were common among this group of artists. Sanvito made famous the pen made calligraphic capital letters, inspired by Roman letters from antiquity. His serifs are distinct. He mostly alternated between gold and colour when writing them. 

This typeface (not yet for sale) was made in May & June 2024. I used my own calligraphy as an underlying form, and digitized the letters in Glyphs (font design program). 

My font was first used on the gravestone of my late friend, painter Christopher Rådlund, whose interest in classical culture also included calligraphy. During a few years I made pamphlets and catalogues for Christopher, setting the text in Trajan (a classical Roman letterform) and Adobe Garamond. The heading Landskap (below) was done by hand.