Created for Berthold in 1976 by prolific designer Hermann Zapf. He said of his design “The basic idea was to create a roman which was to combine good legibility with a more human feeling” in other words, not too cold and abstract.

The face was supposed to still show the influence of the broad nib. Although mainly designed for large bodies of text, it can also be used for ads and display purposes, especially in its bold weight.

Comenius Antiqua was named for 17th century Czech theologian and educational reformer Jan Amos Comenius.