Types of Knowledge: August Wilhelm Schlegel’s Devanagari Font

In the early nineteenth century, German scholars interested in Indian studies had to turn to Paris to access manuscripts and to London to print and purchase books. August Wilhelm Schlegel believed that establishing a Prussian printing press and creating a new Devanagari font would not only facilitate the work of German scholars but also set a global model for printing Sanskrit texts. To create his font, he relied on Prussian funding, but the core of his typographical work took place in Paris, where he found inspiration in Indian manuscripts as well as skilled collaborators. I argue that Schlegel’s font represents the highest expression of his cosmopolitan approach to philology. The technical precision with which he shaped and refined his characters over time demonstrates his aim to produce a functional and aesthetically pleasing product. This reflects his desire to create a bridge between European scholars and Indian literature through a controlled and standardized ideal font.