The publisher documents two historical models and a related sans
ITC credits Ronald Arnholm with Legacy and connects its conception to his Yale study of Nicolas Jenson’s roman in the 1470 Eusebius. The publisher describes years spent developing that interpretation, with Claude Garamond’s sixteenth-century types informing the italics because Jenson’s model had no companion italic. Arnholm then used the serif forms’ underlying structure to develop related sans-serif faces. The account names weights from Book to Ultra, old-style figures and small caps. Treat this as one coordinated project with distinct branches, not proof that every file called Legacy has identical resources.
Build a serif-and-sans hierarchy with actual copy
Prepare a short article with a title, introductory paragraph, body text, caption and running header. Compare the serif and related sans roles using the actual selected branch specimens. Keep the wording, page width and number of roles fixed while judging their relationship. Begin with one clear reading face and add another branch only where it helps distinguish information. A shared development structure is a useful pairing starting point, but it does not remove the need to compare apparent size, line spacing and paragraph rhythm.
Inspect the italic as an independently designed companion
Add real emphasized words, a book title and a short quotation to the reading proof. Compare the actual italic with the surrounding roman at the intended reading size rather than slanting the finished paragraph as an image. Check punctuation and the transition back into roman after the emphasized phrase. Keep a version without decorative treatment so the italic’s role stays clear. The publisher’s different historical model for the italics is context for studying their shapes, not a reason to assume a mismatched font has been installed.
Assign small capitals and figures by editorial role
Proof initials, an abbreviated organization name, a date and a short numeric list in the actual chosen edition. Compare small-cap and figure options against the body text, and record which setting is used for each role. Do not assume a package or branch exposes all features named in a broad family description. EB Garamond, Source Serif 4 and Source Sans 3 are independent comparisons here, not Legacy previews or metric replacements. Use their specimens to test the hierarchy, then consult the ITC publisher source for the precise branch and files.
Your questions, answered.
Do Legacy’s roman and italic use exactly the same historical model?
The ITC account connects the roman to Jenson and identifies Garamond’s sixteenth-century types as inspiration for the italic companion.
Are the ITC Legacy serif and sans branches unrelated?
The publisher says Arnholm developed the sans using the serif forms’ underlying structure. They remain distinct branch resources whose actual files and features should be checked.
Sources & background
Sources supporting this page’s explanations. Practical examples are our editorial suggestions.