Bastarda: Letter Forms

Shortcuts to Variant Letters and Ligatures.


Letter Forms

There are some new versions of old shapes:

a has reverted to the one-compartment version.
g has become curved again, and in this hand turned into an open pothook.

Variant Letters

There are two forms of s: see spes in line 23.
The two forms of r appear: the 2-shaped r follows
curved and bowed letters, as in redemptor in line 16,
and libro in line 13.
v has appeared, but only as a variant form of u:
v is used at the beginnng of words, and u everywhere
else. See e.g. viuit in line 16.

This scribe at least has a certain freedom in the way he makes and finishes his letters. He has at least four different shapes of m:

and two of i and two of l:

These are not major differences, but variations in the way he finishes or begins letters, or angles a curve.

Return to top.


Ligatures
St is a ligature; so is ss.
Bowed letters like d share a stroke
with contiguous curved letters like o
and e. Even v comes into this category.

Return to top.



Return to Question Page.


Return to Index Page.

© MEG TWYCROSS 2000