Villu Toots

Villu Toots (August 24, 1916 – April 10, 1993) was an internationally known Estonian calligrapher, book designer, educator, palaeographer and author.

Biography

Early life

Villu Toots was born on August 24, 1916, in Reval, Russian Empire (now Tallinn, Estonia). He was the first child of Karl Johannes and Amalie Toots (née Jaas). The family was originally from Tartu and moved back home, when Toots was one and a half years old. His father was a shoemaker and his mother was a housewife, but earned money as a seamstress.

Toots started school at Tartu Commercial School. Luckily for him, the curriculum also included penmanship. There Toots gained his first knowledge about formal and casual scripts from artist Eduard Ahas. He also got advice from Hando Mugasto, who was an artist from the prestigious Pallas Art School. By his senior year in 1934 Toots had started making posters for the school and for others.

Career beginnings

Right after high school the professional career of Villu Toots had begun. He started as an artist for local cinemas in Tartu. He managed to work for five different establishments: Capitol, Heli, Apollo, Central and Metropol. With the help of his personal assistant he created posters, newspaper ads and visuals for intermissions. Simultaneously he was doing designs for other companies, exhibitions and display windows. He spent the hard-earned money on field trips to European art centers at the time: France, Austria, Hungary, Germany and Poland.

Studies in Pallas

Toots had a unique opportunity to study with and from some of the greats of Estonian fine art. He practiced printmaking under the guidance of Arkadio Laigo and Roman Vaher. There he learned more about different printing methods and book architecture, but also about the restrictions of the soviet regime. For two years he was the leading designer of Eesti Naine (Estonian Woman) magazine. From 1952 until his death, Toots worked as a freelance artist. The only exception was in 1965–1966, when he worked as an art director in the National Committee of Cinematography. Calligraphy had suddenly become more popular and there was a need for a thorough form of study. Also the Tallinn State Applied Art Institute of the ESSR could not fulfil the demand for artistic writing. In 1965 Toots established a calligraphy school named Kirjakunsti Kool with a three-year course. also in the Tallinn School of Calligraphy. Other well-known students of Kirjakunsti Kool also include Villu Järmut, Ilmar Vallikivi, Henno Käo, Emil Lausmäe, Rein Maantoa, Arvo Pärenson, Ain Kaasik and many others.

Books "Õpime plakatkirja. Algteadmisi kirjakunstist" (Tallinn 1949) "Tänapäeva kiri" (Tallinn 1956) "300 burtu veidi. 300 шрифтов" (Riga 1960) "Cовременный шрифт" (Moscow 1966) "Kirjakunsti abc. Laisulekirjad" (Tallinn 1968) "Kirjakunsti abc. Grotesk ehk plokk-kiri" (Tallinn 1972) "Eesti kirjakunst 1940–1970" (Tallinn 1973) "Kiri kui kunst" (Tallinn 1981) "Kiri Eesti kultuuriloos" (compiled by Rein Loodus; Tallinn 2002) Collections of calligraphical works "Kalligraafilisi etüüde. Calligraphical studies." (Tallinn 1976) "50 eksliibrist" (Tallinn 1979) "Sule ja pintsli duett" (Tallinn 1985) "Paraaf" (Tallinn 1987) "Calligraphical spirals" (Gothenburg; Tampere 1989) "Calligraphic Bookplates and Monograms" (San Juan Capistrano, CA 1992)

Distant acquaintances

Despite living behind the Iron Curtain Villu Toots was able to keep in touch with notable people all over the world. He had connections in almost 30 different countries, including Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Iceland and Japan.

First distant acquaintances were colleagues from Moscow: Solomon Telingater, Vadim Lazurski, Pavel Kuzanyan and Maxim Shukow. Contacting outside of the Soviet Union started in 1954 with a calligrapher from Bruges, Jef Boudens, who was seeking help for writing books. German typographer Albert Kapr turned to Toots with a similar request. Through Kapr Toots became friends with Hermann Zapf, one of the leading typographers in the world. Villu Toots also kept friendly ties with Donald Jackson, official scribe and calligrapher to the Crown Office of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.