A specimen for Maligne, a contemporary sans serif. Its layout draws from Modèles de Lettres / Schriftformen / Types of Letters by Samuel Henchoz (Vevey, 1960), reinterpreting the mid-century instructional format. Letter painters often learned their trade by producing drawings, copying from manuals which provided guides on how to construct letter shapes. 

Maligne—designed by Maximage & Isia Yurovsky between 2011 and 2024—adapts fluidly across scales, from text to display, and is marked by sharp terminals, controlled curves, and a clarity that retains visual personality. Mixing the vernacular with standardized forms, Maligne is inspired by the elegance and technical expertise of early 20th-century letter painters.

The first use of the typeface Maligne goes back to 2011 for use in the design of a book by artist Fuzi UV-TPK. While looking at his photographs, Maximage were inspired by a French train sign featuring unusual shapes, which echoed geometric guides for hand-drawn letters. The book’s title, Ma Ligne (‘my line’) originally referred to the artist’s favorite train line, which connected the western suburbs to Paris Saint-Lazare. Condensed into a single word, maligne means "clever." This origin story provides the typeface its name, and also hints at how adaptable it is.

Published and designed by Maxitype, 2025

Softcover, 20 pages, offset printed with 2 PMS inks, 8.39 × 9.37 inches

ISBN: 978-2-97-017309-0