If a text is set in a good Egyptienne, we can observe a kind of sparkle in the lines. Egyptiennes are cheerful type faces, possibly due to the fact that they developed simultaneously with sans-serif faces. The design principle of a sign from the first half of the 19th century does not have such firm and long-established roots as for example, the Renaissance Roman type face; it is, therefore, much more prone to mistakes which are symptoms of a “decline”. More…

We know of Egyptiennes with uneven colour, with letters falling backwards (this often happens in the case of “S”), and also with slightly bizarre modelling of details. In the course of time, however, it was realized that such things could be quite pleasant and inspiring. After a century and a half we find that Egyptiennes could be a useful tool which could give life to the uniform computer typography. The bequest of the “decadent” typography is the following: Let us not be like a machine, let us not be afraid of doing things in a slapdash way. If monolinear sans-serif type faces palpably lack serifs, then Egyptiennes literally have them in excess. It is not uncommon for the serif itself to be darker than the stroke it stems from. The forms of many twisted letters resemble the gesture of a juggler: others, rectangularly static ones, the profile of a rail or a steel girder - things which, in their time, were new and were unawares observed by the first creators of Egyptiennes. These type faces are ideal for circus posters and programmes for theatre performances, just as for printing on cement sacks.

The Egyptienne “Farao” is soundly imperfect, in which it differs from the “cold” current Egyptiennes. It has been released in three designs.