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FEATURED PROJECT

The Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation Supports

Professor Donald Tarallo's research in Italy

Roman-designed Letters Letters of Roman Antiquity

This past May, with a grant from the Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation (obtained with the assistance of the Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects) Art Professor Donald Tarallo travelled to Italy to photograph the letters of Roman antiquity, which are the original letter designs of the Latin alphabet.

The Romans contributed numerous important steps in the evolution of the Latin alphabet and this project documented the rich variety of Roman-designed letters that spawned from that era. These letters, which are mostly inscribed in stone, are among the most praised examples in existence today.

In the spring of 2012, Professor Tarallo will teach Typography at Bridgewater State University and use the images as teaching tools for assignments in letterform design and appreciation. Students will receive hands-on experience as they re-draw original letterforms to learn the subtle details and differences of the letterforms. Professor Tarallo will prepare lectures that will augment a variety of his graphic design courses in addition to his typography course by illustrating the variety of letterforms designs that existed in ancient Roman times and the origins of the serifs.

The images will be exhibited in the Maxwell Library during March 2012. On display will be the original photographs as well as student renditions of the photographs. This past fall, the Italian Embassy in Boston hosted Don's photography exhibition of Roman letterforms to enthusiastic reviews. Some of the letterforms contained proportions that are still regarded as the most refined and beautiful in existence, while others reflect the rough gesture and individual fantasy of an untrained hand.

Professor Tarallo feels that this opportunity has given him a much deeper understanding of the origins of the Latin uppercase alphabet. Seeing so many beautiful examples first-hand, he has come to appreciate the relationship between medium, tools, and aesthetics. He also has a deeper contextual understanding between the inscriptions, the buildings they adorn, and their environment. He discovered many creative techniques that he did not anticipate, such as; how artists used creative space saving techniques (putting letters inside other letters, combining two letters in one, abbreviations, and changing letter forms). Don also came to appreciate the level of difficulty of hiding stone inscription errors.

During his time in Rome, he visited a satellite branch of his Alma Mater (Rhode Island School of Design) where he met an Italian Art Historian Ezio Genovese who provided him with a list of additional locations of inscriptions. Professor Tarallo plans to return to Italy in the near future to continue to explore this beautiful country.

FEATURED PROJECTS (ARCHIVED)

Stepping into History - Nancy Moses-

March 2011

Annual Geography Fair - Vernon Domingo-

February 2011

Visions for the College of Science and Mathematics from the Founding Dean - Arthur Goldstein

October 2010

STREAMS - Tom Kling

June 2010

Whiting Foundation - Magaly Ponce

March 2010

Organic Waste Decomposition Project - Mary Cahill