“Η”
Women in History
In Greek the letter “Η, η” denotes the female article, like “La” in French, or “Die” in German. For this book on the tumultuous lives of historic women, we dyed every “Η” in the book bronze. In texts, titles, footnotes, and timelines, the bronze characters ‘η’ are literally the female mark running the length of the traditionally-male black print of history.
In Greek the letter “Η, η” denotes the female article, like “La” in French, or “Die” in German. For this book on the tumultuous lives of historic women, we dyed every “Η” in the book bronze. In texts, titles, footnotes, and timelines, the bronze characters ‘η’ are literally the female mark running the length of the traditionally-male black print of history.
Spanning 4 millennia of human activity, this book by Stefanos Linakis is an inventory of iconic female figures and their indelible mark on the course of history. From scientist to empress and conqueror to poet, these women emerged from male-dominated worlds to achieve fame, and in many cases, notoriety. The book is a running catalogue of entries designed for quick access and legibility; a simple lexicon design along a rudimentary single column text, marked by large typography for each entry. Bronze Hs are found throughout the book, not just in the body text, but in typographic illustrations of symbols, a timeline, footnotes, and an inventory of portraits. The book is designed with subtlety in mind, naturally introducing the bronze characters in the text, so that readers quickly assimilate them as they read, while achieving a natural balance between the two characters invites readers to keep exploring hidden Ηs. The book’s slender format references female nature, and a blood-red bookmark is an analogy of the numerous bloody tales involved.
“H”. Women in History, Stefanos Linakis, 2023. Set in JetBrains Monotype and printed on Munken Pure paper in Athens, Greece.
