Antikva

Antikva, also known as Antiqua in many languages, is a category of serif typefaces used for body text in European typography. It describes letterforms that imitate classical Roman inscriptions, characterized by bracketed serifs and a moderate contrast between thick and thin strokes. This contrasts with blackletter (Fraktur) and sans-serif styles.

Origin and name: the term comes from Latin antiquus, meaning ancient. In everyday usage in languages such as Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and many Central and Eastern European languages, antikva denotes the standard “roman” type used for ordinary text.

History and development: Antikva motifs emerged in Renaissance typography through humanist design, drawing on classical inscriptions and Carolingian minuscule. Early influential types were cut in the 15th century by punchcutters such as Nicolas Jenson. Over time, serif designs diversified into Old Style (humanist), Transitional, and Didone families, shaping much of Western book typography up to the modern era.

German-language context and controversy: In German-speaking lands, Antiqua is the term for roman serif types, while Fraktur refers to blackletter. The Antiqua–Fraktur controversy (19th–20th centuries) debated which script should be used for German books and official documents, influencing publishing, education, and typography policy.

Characteristics and usage: Antikva fonts generally feature bracketed serifs and moderate stroke contrast, with proportions oriented toward legibility in long texts. They remain common for books and academic publishing in many languages, and continue to evolve with digital fonts. In modern typography, the term antikva contrasts with sans-serif faces as well as with geometric typefaces.

See also: Fraktur, Antiqua–Fraktur controversy, Typography, Serif, Sans-serif.