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“Humanist” or “Old Style” is a historical classification for typefaces that draw inspiration from Roman lettering and the Carolingian minuscule (a standardized form of calligraphy) to include forms that reference the stroke of a pen.
Nicolas Jenson printed the first books using a Humanist serif typeface. He was inspired by the simple handwriting of the Italian Humanists, who—challenged by the ornamentation of Gutenberg's Textura Blackletter—developed a style that enabled them to copy manuscripts more quickly.
Although initially a grouping for serif types, it’s also possible to have sans serifs that exhibit a humanist style.
Humanist typefaces declined in use in the 18th and 19th centuries, but enjoyed a major revival in the 20th century and remain popular type choices today.
Examples of serif Humanist typefaces include Spectral, EB Garamond, and Sorts Mill Goudy; examples of sans serif Humanist typefaces include Merriweather Sans and Cabin.