One of the remarkable treasures of our Château Cramirat Collection is this unassuming yet truly unique little book about the ampersand (i.e., the “and” symbol: &), which was researched, written, designed, “AND / &” signed by the formidable Jan Tschichold.
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Dubbed the father of modern typography, Jan Tschichold was an extremely influential German calligrapher, typographer, and book designer whose theories and work coded many 20th-century design rules that are still applied today.
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While idealizing conservative typographic structures, he insisted that design should be standardized, clear, and focused on getting the message across quickly and efficiently. By stressing the need for a unified look based on a consistent set of visual elements, he brought about many of the design practices used in the world of corporate identity ever since. He also designed the typeface Sabon.
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A testament to his lasting vision are the well-known Penguin book covers, which he designed decades ago and are still so popular.
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The Château Cramirat Collection is a treasure trove of art and design by philosopher Anna Ravitzki and designer Dan Alexander, housed in a 12th-century Templar landmark in the Valley of Mankind, Périgord, France.
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Formenwandlungen der Et-Zeichen (The Apersand: Its Origin and Development). Tschichold, Jan. Frankfurt: D. Stempel type foundry, 1953.
