Shotaro Nakano The environment for historical research in type design has undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by the digitization of archives and advancements in AI technology. In this presentation, I will share the findings of my research on early Chinese type making in Europe, focusing on the contributions of Marcellin Legrand and August Beyerhaus. While Beyerhaus’s type indirectly influenced Japanese printing technology through its use in the American Presbyterian Mission Press (美华书馆, Měihuá Shūguǎn) in Shanghai, his collaboration with Marcellin Legrand laid the foundation for these types. The Press played a vital role in introducing modern printing techniques to East Asia, producing Chinese-language materials widely used in trading and religion. Japanese printers, eager to modernize their practices in the late 19th century, sought to gain knowledge of these techniques, linking the work of Legrand and Beyerhaus to Japan’s printing evolution.
As a professional type designer with a deep interest in historical research, I relied on interdisciplinary sources, including German texts and Gothic Texture type documents accessible with AI. Critical sources originated outside traditional type history, such as religious and women’s studies, adding unique perspectives. One pivotal discovery clarified the identity of Beyerhaus’s type cutter—a detail supported by further sources. While the research is based on secondary materials, I made my own discoveries by analyzing tiny but significant bits of information, particularly family and personal relationships, to uncover professional networks shaping type making.
This work highlights the historical ties linking Europe and Japan through type making, offering new insights into their cultural exchange and its role in East Asia’s printing modernization.