In the midst of Women’s History Month, we celebrate and offer our deepest gratitude to Beatrice Warde, “Madame Monotype, The First Lady of Typography.”
Indigo Ink feels a special connection to Beatrice Warde (Sept. 20, 1900—Sept. 14, 1969), an author, librarian, printer, marketer, and devout typophile who had a tremendous impact on the graphics and print industry worldwide. Among her many ceiling-smashing feats, she’s most famous for writing the manifesto, “This is a Printing Office.” Published in 1932 during a time of struggle and dramatic change in the world not unlike our present, the manifesto reminds us of the importance of our craft.
THIS IS A PRINTING OFFICE
Crossroads of civilization
Refuge of all the arts
Against the ravages of time
Armoury of fearless truth
Against whispering rumor
Incessant trumpet of trade
From this place words may fly abroad
Not to perish on waves of sound
Not to vary with the writer’s hand
But fixed in time
Having been verified by proof
Friend, you stand on sacred ground
This is a printing office
We here at Indigo Ink hold a great respect for all that Beatrice Warde did to advocate and influence higher standards in printing, and we strive to continue her legacy. Through Beauty, Innovation and Goodwill, we believe that your ideas deserve to be showcased and communicated with the utmost clarity and integrity.
Like Beatrice, we believe that the printing of ideas is an almost sacred responsibility and process. When you put your ideas to print, you are contributing to the crucial flow of information at a time when the truth is yearning for more concrete and lasting media. Your print outlives the quick scroll. It’s timeless against our amnesic timelines. It’s nourishing beyond vapid feeds. It commands attention amongst incessant distractions.
Here’s to Beatrice Warde and all those who revere print.
*This piece was originally published in our enewsletter on Sept 20th 2022.
