Our latest release, Neumann, is a sturdy, “mechanical” interpretation of the Didone genre. It began as an attempt to revive Quirinus, a typeface designed by Alessandro Butti and published by the Italian foundry Nebiolo in 1939. We first encountered it in 2012 in Vasil Ionchev’s book “Шрифтът през вековете”, and were immediately drawn to its distinctive character — a high-contrast design that felt more constructed and deliberate than most of its contemporaries.

Initial research revealed that no complete digital version of Quirinus existed. Only a bold cut had been preserved commercially, while the lighter weights remained largely undocumented. This made a faithful revival difficult, but also opened the door for a more interpretative approach.

Working with limited source material, the project gradually shifted away from strict reconstruction. Many details were reconsidered and refined, with an emphasis on clarity, balance, and consistency. The contrast was carefully controlled, proportions were adjusted for a more stable rhythm, and the overall structure was simplified to achieve a more coherent and timeless result. What began as a revival evolved into a reinterpretation shaped by contemporary needs and sensibilities.

The final design is the result of nearly three years of continuous exploration, iteration, and revision. Throughout the process, the goal was to preserve the spirit of the original while developing a typeface that could stand confidently on its own.

With Neumann, we aimed to bring a fresh perspective to the Didone landscape — one that feels solid, composed, and quietly distinctive. The typeface supports both Latin and Cyrillic scripts, developed in parallel to ensure a consistent voice across languages.