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Travel through time—and across Italy—as you explore how writing has shaped human communication, creativity, and culture. As part of DES265: The Latin Writing System, this unforgettable one-week study abroad program brings the history of typography to life through immersive, hands-on learning in Rome, Cornuda, and Venice.
Begin in Rome, where ancient Latin inscriptions etched into stone tell the story of an empire. Wander the Colosseum and Roman Forum, then dive deeper at the Epigraphic Museum, where you'll examine real artifacts and practice reading the scripts that shaped history. Continue to the awe-inspiring Vatican Library and Biblioteca Casanatense, home to illuminated manuscripts and rare books, where you'll see how medieval scribes turned words into works of art.
Midweek, trade vellum for ink during a full-day letterpress workshop at BestPress Lab. Set type by hand and print your own work using historic presses. From there, head north to Cornuda, where rolling vineyards meet typographic tradition. Stay at an agri-hotel and join a cooking class that celebrates the local flavors and rhythms of the Veneto countryside.
Next, enjoy a day in Venice — a floating archive of signs, stonework, and scripts. From fading inscriptions to neon storefronts, the city’s layered typography reveals a visual history shaped by trade, salt, and time.
Conclude your journey back in Rome with a visit to MAXXI — the Museum of 21st Century Arts — where you’ll explore how digital tools and contemporary design are redefining typography today.
Whether you’re a designer, artist, writer, or history buff, this course offers a unique opportunity to connect the past with the future — and earn credit while you do it.
Courses
Des 265 Topics in Design, 3 credits
(Prerequisite: May be stipulated at time of topic offering) - Arts and Humanities, International Requirement
Program Director
Prof. Peggy Bloomer
Art & Design
860.832.3336
bloomerp@ccsu.edu
