This paper will consider notions of the reading of ‘beauty’ in typography and consider whether this remains a viable goal for the contemporary graphic designer.

The introduction will identify key lines of thought through Hume, Kant and Neitzche and consider how these have shaped modernist thinking, in particular the written work of Jan Tschichold and Beatrice Warde. The lecture will move on to map the emergence of post-modernist thinking/practice, considering work from Robert Venturi and Charles Jenks, and Wolfgang Weingart. The paper will acknowledge more recent contributions to this debate from Steven Heller and Kathryn McCoy, and ultimately consider whether we may have lost the idea of ‘beauty’ for good. The talk will be illustrated throughout with examples of typography and broader design practice.