1. Grotesque alphabet in mythological
landscapes c. 1570 by Giacomo Paolini
• Giacomo Paolini Italian copper engraver who lived in the 16th
century.Around 1570, he created a suite of ornamental letters known
as Grotesque Alphabet in Mythological Landscapes (16th century).
Intricate initial caps, with each letter telling a story (the R in the link
shows Romulus and Remus in Rome). His inspiration comes from
mythology, and often involves angels, mermaids, snakes, and fruits.
Copyright © The Trustees of the British Museum

22. Alfabeto di Lettere Iniziali (c. 1730)
(Alphabet Letters Initials) by Mauro Poggi
• Mauro Poggi Italian artist who drew Alfabeto di Lettere Iniziali (ca.
1730), ornamental caps with scrolls and flourishes and then
inhabited by satyrs, mermaids, Medusa
heads, birds, cats, dogs, snakes, and other creatures. The letters
were designed by Poggi, drawn in ink by Andrea Bimbi, and
engraved by Lorenzo Lorenzi. (there were 24 letters, rather than
26, because i and j were the same letter, and because there was no
w).