Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Design Web Typography Introduction to Typography Different Types of Type

Posted by Elizabeth Henning
Elizabeth Henning
4,286 Points

19th century or 20th century typefaces?

I'm a little confused--I think it's true that grotesque-style typefaces arose in the late 19th century, but Helvetica and Univers are definitely mid-century Bauhaus-style typefaces.

1 Answer

Dustin Matlock
Dustin Matlock
33,856 Points

Elizabeth, this was taken from Wikipedia:

Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with input from Edouard Hoffmann. It is a neo-grotesque or realist design, one influenced by the famous 19th century typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk and other German and Swiss designs. —Wikipedia

Univers (French pronunciation: ​[ynivɛʁ], "ünivair") is the name of a sans-serif typeface designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1954. Classified as a neo-grotesque typeface, one based on the model of the 1898 typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk, it was notable on its launch for its availability in a comprehensive but consistent range of weights and styles.—Wikipedia

Elizabeth Henning
Elizabeth Henning
4,286 Points

OK, thanks, I thought so. The video gives the impression of skipping over 150 years of typeface history.