Free Font Friday: Libre Bodoni

by Taylor Slattery | June 2, 2022

Libre Bodoni is a serif typeface created by Venezuela-based type designers Pablo Impallari and Rodrigo Fuenzalida. Based on the font family of the same name, created by ATF founder, Morris Fuller Benton, Libre Bodoni offers a web-centric update to the centenarian classic. Sporting Bodoni’s iconic high-contrast serifs, the face is tall and regal. In addition to being available in four weights with accompanying italic versions, Libre Bodoni also has a variable weight axis so you can custom tailor the type to fit a variety of use-specific applications. It’s got the same elegant character as Bodoni, making it an excellent choice for things like headers and pull quotes.

Although it’s been specifically adapted for web use, I think Libre Bodoni is best reserved for impactful moments with smaller portions of text. Despite adjustments that might have been made to make certain characters more legible, Libre Bodoni suffers from the same shortcomings as its predecessor. While the extremely thin serifs give it its timeless elegance, they remain an obstacle to readability and at its static weights, Libre Bodoni isn’t great at smaller sizes. You may be able to dial in something that works for you using its variable weight, though.