Richard Gething facts for kids

Richard Gething (born around 1585, died around 1652) was a very skilled English calligrapher. A calligrapher is someone who practices the art of beautiful handwriting.

Who Was Richard Gething?

Richard Gething was born in a place called Herefordshire in England. He learned his amazing handwriting skills from a famous teacher named John Davies of Hereford. People thought that Richard Gething became even better than his teacher in every part of his art!

Gething's Move to London

Later, Richard Gething moved to London. There, he started his own business at a place called the Hand and Pen in Fetter Lane. This was where he worked and taught his special handwriting techniques.

Gething's Famous Books

Richard Gething created several important books that showed off his beautiful handwriting styles. These books helped others learn and appreciate calligraphy.

A Coppie Book of the Usuall Hands Written

In 1616, Gething published his first book, which was called A Coppie Book of the Usuall Hands Written. This book likely contained examples of common handwriting styles of that time.

Calligraphotechnica: An Expanded Edition

An even bigger and better version of his book came out in 1619. It was titled Calligraphotechnica. This edition was quite impressive!

• It had twenty-six engraved quarto plates. These were like printed pages showing different handwriting examples.
• It also included a special front picture, which was a portrait of Gething himself.
• He dedicated this book to a very important person, Sir Francis Bacon.

Chirographia: His Later Work

In 1645, Gething published another significant book called Chirographia. This book had thirty-seven plates that were engraved by John Goddard. In Chirographia, Gething explained that he had carefully copied and followed works from the best calligraphers and Italian masters. He also included new styles of quick handwriting that were becoming popular.

Gething Redivivus: After His Death

There was another edition of Chirographia that was probably published after Gething passed away. It was called Gething Redivivus, or the Pen's Master-Piece. This title means "Gething Lives Again" or "The Pen's Best Work." It was described as the last work of this "eminent and accomplished master" of handwriting. This book, published in London in 1664, contained examples of all sorts of interesting handwriting styles. It also had a portrait of Gething at the beginning, which was engraved by J. Chantry.

Why Was Gething Important?

A writer named William Massey thought that Richard Gething was very important. Massey believed that because Gething published his works early using printing presses, he should be compared to other great English handwriting masters like Bales, Davies, and Billingsley. Massey called these men the "heads and fathers" of English calligraphy.