Born in England in 1706, John Baskerville was ready to become a printing master. At an early age he was skilled in the art of stone engravings, but he started his life work as a printer and publisher in 1757. He moved on to be the expert printer at the University of Cambridge. As a master printer, Baskerville did not just stop at making fine print art, but he even improved inks and the presses he used.
Baskerville was highly influenced by the Italian Renaissance. He used their base forms but exaggerated the contrast of thick and thin strokes. The italics were really a show of his calligraphic skills. The Baskerville font really made use of this contrast. It is a serif typeface. It falls under the traditional category.
His letters usually were by themselves on a page without an icons or symbols to disrupt them. Baskerville was well known as a perfectionist. His typesetting almost seemed to be an obsession.
Although we view him now as one of the most prized typographers, Britain seemed to dislike his work. It wasn’t “up to par” with the other typographers of the time, but France and Italy caught on quick to his style and embraced him as their own.
John Baskerville departed this world in 1755. His memory lives on in font books everywhere.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0806405.html
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