Rondeau is a serif typeface rooted in mid 19th century French Elzevirs. Often cited as the first revivals in type history, Elzevirs offered an alternative to the immensely popular Didones by drawing inspiration from historic forms, namely the Roman inscriptions and European Renaissance type. In addition to acknowledging the work of Louis Perrin and his peers at the time, Rondeau takes cues from type that was clearly influenced by French Elzevirs closer to the 20th century. Typefaces like the Post/Canton Series and French Old Style (Barnhart Brothers & Spindler), Römische Antiqua (Genzsch & Heyse 1888) and Romanisch Antiqua (Schelter & Giesecke 1895) informed its development.

Due to its high contrast and dense spacing Rondeau is intended for rather large sizes. The lighter weights are delicate yet poised, maintaining the clarity and grace of the original Elzevirs, whereas the darker weights lack the typical brittleness of heavy display serif typefaces. There is still tons of contrast and sharpness to go around, but without compromising the overall robustness. Steep and narrow 21 degree italics are not based on any specific historical model. Even though there are evident cursive features, Rondeau’s italics are more rational and closely tied to the design of its upright counterpart.