Karl Klauß’s classical training in the graphic arts gave him solid chops to use as a springboard for design ideas that remained relevant among the countless trends fleeting around the turmoil of two world wars. By the mid-1950s, a kind of ornamental deco aesthetic was well on its way into mainstream design in post-war Europe, and demand was high for unique, lively and non-minimal ad faces. Klauß, a reliable designer with a proven track record of calligraphic faces, pushed the envelope on his own calligraphy and designed something that packages elegance in a boldness seldom seen before in luxury scripts.

Quite a bit of talent is on display in Klauss Kursiv. In spite of the restraint this kind of design imposes on itself almost by default, the interplay between thick and thin never seems forced or challenging. Clear, natural strokes build a compact alphabet that demonstrates the wrist control of a veteran calligrapher. Creative nib angling segues into very clever start-and-stop constructs to make attractive forms that work quite well together, yet stand well to individual scrutiny.

P22 Klauss Kursiv comes with a load of built-in alternates and ligatures in a font of over 470 glyphs, providing extended support for Latin languages.