Bickham, mestre-calígrafo britânico. The British Penman

Bickham, George (pai e filho)

Mestres-calígrafos britânicos

George Bickham Senior (1684-1758)

Foi um dos mais famosos autores do seu tempo. Escreveu The Universal Penman e as seguintes obras:

1711, The British Penman

1731, Penmanship in its utmost Beauty and Extent

1734, The Universal Penman

George Bickham nasceu em Londres. He was a famous and honored engraver and artist during his lifetime. In 1736 he became a member of the Free Society of Artists. Famous are his portraits of well-known personalities of his time like Isaak Newton, George I King of Denmark, the British Queen ("Ann Regina") and of famous admirals.

In 1733, George Bickham advertised that he accepting subscriptions for The Universal Penman. Twenty five different scribes from all over London were employed to design material for Bickham who guaranteed to the public that he would be responsible for engraving all the designs. The work was not unusually for the period to appear in parts - issued in weekly parts, "each to consist of four engraved folios, printed on one side, and costing six pence each."

In 1757 he auctioned his plates and his whole inventory. Two years later he died in Richmond.

The Universal Penman, gravado por
George Bickham Senior (1733-1741).

George Bickham the Younger (c. 1706-1771)

English etcher and engraver, a printseller, and one of the first English caricaturists. He produced didactic publications, political caricatures, and pornographical prints.

He was the son (or nephew) of the engraver George Bickham the Elder (1684-1758), who published the Universal Penman

Bickham’s musical entertainer. Vol. II. London: Pr. for C. Corbett, 1738

Bibliografia

Heitlinger, Paulo. Tipografia: origens, formas e uso das letras. 2006 Paulo Heitlinger, ISBN 10 972-576-396-3. Dinalivro. Lisboa, 2006.