Comune di Cividale del Friuli — Ancient languages in modern times.

Cividale del Friuli is a town renowned for its cultural heritage and illustrious historical roots. In collaboration with the Municipality, we were asked to art direct the communication for the project “Cividale and the ancient evidence of the Slovenian language”.

Our task was to design a booklet with the aim of presenting the historical codes and, at the same time, promoting Cividale as a tourist destination, highlighting its natural beauty and its museums.

The visual concept was inspired by the observation of the ancient manuscript of Castelmonte in the Christian Museum of Cividale – one of the oldest written testimonies of the Slovenian language – and in particular by the observation of the holes due to wear and the passage of time that usually form on ancient parchments.

The initial phase required taking photographs of the manuscripts, which served both as a key component of the booklet’s content and as a starting point for the study and development of the visual concept.

The cover of the booklet features turned-up flaps printed on both sides and then die-cut to reveal a section of the printed manuscript on the inside flap. This design element evokes the appearance of the holes in the vellum, creating a visually stunning 3D effect that immediately grabs the reader’s attention.

The same design concept is applied throughout the booklet, with each chapter opening simulating the effect of the die-cut technique used on the cover. The simulated design also features a portion of the printed manuscript, enhancing the visual cohesiveness of the publication.