/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.23505518]

Why are books progressively uglier each century since the middle ages, typographically speaking?

[Anonymous No.23505524]

With usura hath no man a house of good stone
each block cut smooth and well fitting
that design might cover their face,
with usura
hath no man a painted paradise on his church wall
harpes et luz
or where virgin receiveth message
and halo projects from incision,
with usura
seeth no man Gonzaga his heirs and his concubines
no picture is made to endure nor to live with
but it is made to sell and sell quickly
with usura, sin against nature,
is thy bread ever more of stale rags
is thy bread dry as paper,
with no mountain wheat, no strong flour
with usura the line grows thick
with usura is no clear demarcation
and no man can find site for his dwelling.
Stonecutter is kept from his stone
weaver is kept from his loom
WITH USURA
wool comes not to market
sheep bringeth no gain with usura
Usura is a murrain, usura
blunteth the needle in the maid’s hand
and stoppeth the spinner’s cunning. Pietro Lombardo
came not by usura
Duccio came not by usura
nor Pier della Francesca; Zuan Bellin’ not by usura
nor was ‘La Calunnia’ painted.
Came not by usura Angelico; came not Ambrogio Praedis,
Came no church of cut stone signed: Adamo me fecit.
Not by usura St. Trophime
Not by usura Saint Hilaire,
Usura rusteth the chisel
It rusteth the craft and the craftsman
It gnaweth the thread in the loom
None learneth to weave gold in her pattern;
Azure hath a canker by usura; cramoisi is unbroidered
Emerald findeth no Memling
Usura slayeth the child in the womb
It stayeth the young man’s courting
It hath brought palsey to bed, lyeth
between the young bride and her bridegroom
CONTRA NATURAM
They have brought whores for Eleusis
Corpses are set to banquet
at behest of usura.

[Anonymous No.23505543]

>>23505524
GTFO from this thread with your spam

[Anonymous No.23505810]

>>23505518
>Why are books progressively uglier each century since the middle ages, typographically speaking?
stage 1: "progress" from apprenticeship (say from age 12 to 24) to public education before apprenticeship, cutting down the time available to acquire relevant skills, and a proper education, from 10 years to about 3 or 4
stage 2: "progress" to secondary education, now you have only 1 year of apprenticeship where you learn stuff you will actually need
stage 3: "progress" to digital typesetting, practically zero skill needed

[Anonymous No.23505931]

>>23505518
Have you actually handled and read books from the middle ages onwards, or is this yet another "old thing good, new thing bad" spam thread?
Print books and typography literally didn't exist until the end of the middle ages, it's a nonsensical cutoff point.

[Anonymous No.23505940]

>>23505518
Typography didn't come about until the end of the middle ages and was one of the things that spelled its end thoughbeit. But apart from that error, I will grant that you're right that books looked nicer in times past. As to why, we can probably blame typography for increasingly emphasizing visual uniformity and linearity, as McLuhan says.

[Anonymous No.23505943]

Mass production.

/thread

[Anonymous No.23505954]

>>23505518
I thought OP was asking why progressives are uglier, lol.

I don't think modern books are uglier.

[Anonymous No.23506199]

>>23505931
>Print books and typography literally didn't exist until the end of the middle ages, it's a nonsensical cutoff point.
>>23505940
>Typography didn't come about until the end of the middle ages and was one of the things that spelled its end thoughbeit.
typography existed, movable type didn't exist, you silly modernists
>>23505943
this
mass produced humans publishing mass produced books so they can buy mass produced food

[Anonymous No.23506227]

>>23506199
What's your definition of "typography"? Do you think that definition is widely accepted, and is that definition what OP had in mind?

[Anonymous No.23506229]

I think most American fiction looks great, they still care about the inside of a book over there. Can't say the same for contemporary European lit, some of it is really lazy, feels rushed. "Let's go with Minion Pro."

Basically,
>American books . . . look like this.
>European books … look like this.

Pre-digital will always look better though. There's something about the ink bleed that's very pleasing to the eye and facilitates the reading, at least for me.

[Anonymous No.23506241]

>>23505524
>seeth no man Gonzaga his heirs and his concubines

[Anonymous No.23507221]

>>23506227
didn't you swear you fill fuck off?!

[Anonymous No.23507231]

>>23507221
I don't think I did.
Are you ok?

[Anonymous No.23507261]

>>23507231
>lord of lies and gaslighting
>also a janny
colour me surprised

[Anonymous No.23507275]

>>23505518
A fuck ton of typesetting dies are lost forever, got dumped for newer shinier manufacturing toys. With it, a lot of hard won practical knowledge.

[Anonymous No.23507283]

>>23507275
that's not how it works

[Anonymous No.23507402]

>>23505518
neo-liberal consumer capitalism