Serif Normal Esby 2 is a regular weight, normal width, high contrast, italic, normal x-height font.
Keywords: editorial, book text, magazines, literature, pull quotes, classic, literary, refined, formal, text emphasis, classical tone, editorial clarity, elegant voice, bracketed, calligraphic, oldstyle, transitional, bookish.
This is a high-contrast serif italic with crisp, bracketed serifs and a pronounced rightward slant. Strokes show a calligraphic modulation: thin hairlines in joins and terminals, with fuller main stems and diagonals, creating a lively black-and-white rhythm. Proportions feel traditionally bookish, with moderate x-height, relatively narrow lowercase, and capitals that are stately without becoming overly wide. Curves are smooth and tensioned, and many letters feature tapered entry/exit strokes and subtly cupped or hooked terminals that reinforce the italic flow.
This font is well suited to editorial typography such as magazines, book interiors, and long-form literary layouts where an italic voice is needed for emphasis or distinction. It also performs well for refined headings, pull quotes, and classical-themed branding that benefits from a traditional serif italic with strong contrast.
The overall tone is classic and refined, suggesting literary or editorial polish rather than display novelty. Its energetic italic movement reads as elegant and expressive while remaining conventional enough for serious text settings.
The design appears intended as a conventional, readable serif italic that conveys tradition and sophistication while maintaining a lively, calligraphic cadence. Its balanced proportions and disciplined contrast suggest a focus on comfortable reading and familiar typographic tone rather than overt stylization.
Numbers follow the same italic, high-contrast logic, with clear, oldstyle-like shaping and noticeable variation in width between figures. The ampersand and punctuation in the sample text harmonize with the serif and terminal treatment, supporting continuous reading at larger text sizes and in emphatic passages.