{"product_id":"construction-of-italian-hand-looping-miniscule-x","title":"Construction of Italian Hand Looping Miniscule \"x\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \"looping x\" is found in both Italian Hand \u0026amp; English Roundhand. Though quite common as a capital letter, it is less commonly seen in minuscule form as demonstrated here. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThough rarely used in body text — the standard ball-lobe form of minuscule 'x' was almost always the choice form body-text — the looping version can be found in many English copybooks of the 1700s. The looping minuscule x appears to have been used more for specialty applications such as titling and ceremonial presentations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1) Standard Italian Hand small x, the most common form.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2) Looping Italian Hand small x, used for more fancy applications.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3) The shapes comprising the looping x are a conjoining of a small 'e' shape, inverted \u0026amp; upright.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e4) Another way of approaching the looping x is to begin as one would commencing a looping 'r', but with the first upstroke bisecting the main stem at the midpoint, then continuing on to form the e-shape. The most difficult aspect is accurately overlapping the stems to form a unified appearance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr class=\"html-br\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e5) Historic example of Italian Hand x's from Charles Snell (c. 1712), which shows a looping capital X along with the looping \u0026amp; ball-lobed minuscule forms. The 'n', being what was known as a \"leading letter\" by penmen of the 15th \u0026amp; 16th centuries, that is to say one of the most fundamental letter-shapes to be learned first, was included to provide scale \u0026amp; proportion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e~April 24, 2016, Don Marsh~\u003cbr\u003e©\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2016 Don Marsh\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Don Marsh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43196429959262,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0640\/7828\/2846\/files\/Italian_Looping_X__Don_Marsh.jpg?v=1787343420","url":"https:\/\/donmarsharchive.com\/products\/construction-of-italian-hand-looping-miniscule-x","provider":"Don Marsh","version":"1.0","type":"link"}