Middleton, R. Hunter (Robert Hunter), 1898-1985

Robert Hunter Middleton; type designer, lettering artist, graphic designer, and fine-press printer; born in Scotland in 1898; came to the U.S. at the age of ten; graduated from the School of the Art Institute in 1923; studied with Ernst F. Detterer; principal designer for the Ludlow Typograph Co., 1923-1970; responsible for the design of many typefaces widely used in advertising and newspaper work; served as Ludlow’s art director; completed graphic and lettering designs for the Art Institute, Fourth Presbyterian Church, and Frances Parker School in Chicago; established private press, Cherryburn, named for the home of the English wood engraver, Thomas Bewick; Newberry Library later published and distributed Cherryburn’s portfolio of Bewick prints, 1970; founding member of the 27 Chicago Designers and the Society of Typographic Arts, an early participant of the Aspen Design Conference and the Association Internationale Typographique, and an active member of the Typocrafters and other design organizations; taught at Transylvania University, the University of Alabama, Yale, UCLA, and elsewhere

Robert Hunter Middleton; influential Chicago typographer; born May 6th, 1898 near Glasglow, Scotland; immigrated with his mother migrated to join his father, a manager of a coalmine near Birmingham, Alabama; family moved to Illinois; attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1920; later graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; had entered art school to hone his skills as an illustrator; at the Art Institute, Middleton studied formatively with Ernst Detterer and earned an apprenticeship at the Ludlow Typography Company; during his career at Ludlow, Middleton was instrumental in creating numerous typefaces including the: Bodoni Series, the Garamond Series, the Karnak Series, Ludlow Black, the Tempo Series, the Record Gothic Series, and the Radiant Series; founded Cherryburn Press, a private press in the basement of his home; appreciator, collector and printer of the works of Thomas Bewick; Middleton began printing Christmas cards and stationery using Bewick images; also a member and leader of numerous societies devoted to the typographic arts in Chicago and beyond, including: Society of Typographic Arts of Chicago; Chicago Art Directors Club, the 27 Chicago Designers; Caxton Club of Chicago; Association Typographique Internationale of Paris and International Design Conference in Aspen; Middleton died August 3rd, 1985 in Chicago

Robert Hunter Middleton; born May 6, 1898; died August 3, 1985; American book designer, painter, and type designer; born in Glasgow, Scotland; came to Chicago in 1908 where he studied at the School of the Art Institute; joined the design department of the Ludlow Typograph Company in 1923; served as director of the department of typeface design from 1933–71; began operating a private press, The Cherryburn Press, 1944; died in Chicago