Roundhand is a handwriting style originating in Italy, popularized in 17th century England. It is characterized by sweeping curves and slight contrast between thick and thin lines. It was used for official documents and continues to be used for certificates. It is easier for right-handed writers and requires careful strokes.
Roundhand is a type of handwriting originating in Italy, but first found in England during the mid-1600s. It is characterized by the slight contrast between thick and thin lines, but is best known for its sweeping curves rather than its edgy fashion. Scriptwriting was made possible through the development of metal-tipped nibs on pens and pens. The round hand is also called intaglio and fundamental hand.
The style got its name from being centered around the curve of the “o”. The floral and ring effect is achieved by writing at a 30 degree angle to the paper. The round hand effect also serves to exaggerate the size of the upper elements of letters when written in a sentence. This refers to a theory that the eye focuses or concentrates on the upper element of a sentence when reading and not the lower element.
While the round hand gained popularity in 1660s England, it owes its origin to much older manuscripts, perhaps as early as the 10th century. The style was certainly used by the Camera Apostolica, a financial institution within the Papal Administration of Rome. The Apostolic Camera used the script to do financial reporting for the Vatican and the Curia of the Catholic Church. In England, the style is best demonstrated by writers like Sarah Cole and John Ayres.
The function of the round hand was to produce legible writing for official documents. As anyone who has tried to decipher medieval and early modern texts will know, handwriting is often impossible to understand or transcribe. The roundhand was rarely applied to minor documents such as censuses, death, birth, and marriage certificates, but was used for brochures, book covers, and certificates. Its primary function was replaced by the typewriter and then the personal computer in the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively. The round hand, however, continues to be used for things like college certificates and commendations.
John Ayres helped popularize the round hand in the 17th century. The style was originally called “the rhonde” after its French name. The benefits of screenwriting were advertised to companies, but were mostly picked up by individual writers. In addition to John Ayres, screenwriting has been popularized and exemplified by writers such as Edward Crocker, George Snell and George Bickham.
Like many scripts that use quills and ink pens, it’s easier to write when the writer is right-handed. Of course, the left-handed writer has to be careful about smudging the written word. It is a script written slowly, but with passion. The script requires the writer to craft each letter with careful strokes and is not a script used when the writer is in a hurry.
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