Hojaldre Medieval
Aitana Cantú
While searching through old books at my grandparents house in Spain, I found the source for what became
Hojaldre Medieval. Printed in 1940, “Cultura Religiosa: Dogma, La Moral, La Gracia” was a religion textbook
my grandma had to read when she was 13. I was hesitant at first to pursue this typeface because the book was printed during the height of Franco’s
dictatorship and is about religious obedience. But when I continued my research, it turned out that the type
designer, Sjoerd Hendrik de Roos (1877-1962), was a staunch supporter of the first socialist in the Dutch
parliament.
Hollandsche Mediaeval was made in 1912 by S. H. de Roos at the Amsterdam Type Foundry. It was the first
Dutch-made typeface for 150 years and considered the first modern typeface in the Netherlands.
Aitana Cantú is a graphic and product designer from Los Angeles, California. She is currently interested in alphabets, language, archives, research-based projects, and print.
