John Baskerville, (born Jan. 28, 1706, Wolverley, Worcestershire, Eng.—died Jan. 8, 1775, Birmingham, Warwickshire), English printer and creator of a typeface of great distinction bearing his name, whose works are among the finest examples of the art of printing. The bold quality of Baskerville’s print derived from his use of a highly glossed paper and a truly black ink that he had invented. Its sharp, high-contrast forms make it highly legible — and it is considered to be a true representation of eighteenth-century rationalism and neoclassicism. Baskerville increased the contrast between thick and thin strokes in his letters, making the serifs sharper, and shifted the axis of rounded letters to a vertical position. The font is a transitional serif typeface which is much sharper serif than the humanist and has much more contrast between thick and the thin strokes of the letters.
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