Minicus

Minicus is a compressed modular typeface designed by Paula Mastrangelo and inspired by the lettering on a plaque at Tweede Jan Steenstraat 113 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The plaque marks the former business of Minicus (Ph.) Zeehandelaar (1883–1943), an Amsterdam Jewish merchant who was murdered during the Holocaust. Modest in scale yet carefully constructed, the original inscription reflects a restrained approach to lettering shaped by functional requirements and its architectural setting.
Mastrangelo analyzed the compact proportions and modular logic of the plaque’s letterforms and translated them into a contemporary digital typeface. In the process, proportions and spacing were refined, inconsistencies resolved, and the character set expanded, while preserving the compressed structure and quiet rhythm of the source. The result is a font that balances historical reference with present-day usability.
Minicus is well suited for posters, editorial design, signage, websites, museum communications, and cultural or educational projects that benefit from condensed forms and a clear, constructed aesthetic. At the same time, it functions as a subtle typographic reminder of a personal history embedded in Amsterdam’s urban fabric, connecting everyday lettering to a broader historical narrative.