Traditional German
typeface in a 1902 book. The pluses are its distinct national character and its historic origins; its minus is its poor
legibility.
Typography is the practical art of arranging how the printed word appears on the page. Typography was born when print was born. Early types were based on the letterforms of scribes, and the letters cut into Trajan's Column ("monumental inscriptions"). Later, gradually, type designs were based on the special needs of books, pamphlets, newspapers and advertisements.