A Captain from Portugal
Guy de Cointet
1972
A Captain from Portugal
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Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form ...
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A Captain from Portugal
Guy de Cointet
1972
Los Angeles: Self-published
Unpaginated [48 pages]
17.7 × 12.7 cm
Edition of 500

Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form of the book with the geometric appeal of illegible writing. The “postmodern” hieroglyphics he devised for this typonovel – intended as a narrative variation on concrete poetry – are almost reminiscent of Viking runes. By alternating pages of unreadable literature, beautifully written (literally), with musical scores, drawings, and cryptic diagrams, Cointet introduces the reader to a new age of purely visual reading.


 


Several mystery-language enthusiasts have attempted to penetrate the book’s illegible narrative on international online forums. Among the most plausible readings is that proposed by ShadowWolf and Matthew Brown, who analysed the square cryptogram on the cover and suggested that its plaintext begins with a passage concerning ridged patterns on the argonaut shell and giant cactus. They traced the passage to Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics (1943) by Cummins and Midlo, p. 35, and even linked to a copy of the book on Archive.org.


 


While this is the original edition, published by the artist in 1972, Primary Information produced a facsimile in October 2026.

Los Angeles: Self-published
Unpaginated [48 pages]
17.7 × 12.7 cm
Edition of 500

Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form of the book with the geometric appeal of illegible writing. The “postmodern” hieroglyphics he devised for this typonovel – intended as a narrative variation on concrete poetry – are almost reminiscent of Viking runes. By alternating pages of unreadable literature, beautifully written (literally), with musical scores, drawings, and cryptic diagrams, Cointet introduces the reader to a new age of purely visual reading.

 

Several mystery-language enthusiasts have attempted to penetrate the book’s illegible narrative on international online forums. Among the most plausible readings is that proposed by ShadowWolf and Matthew Brown, who analysed the square cryptogram on the cover and suggested that its plaintext begins with a passage concerning ridged patterns on the argonaut shell and giant cactus. They traced the passage to Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics (1943) by Cummins and Midlo, p. 35, and even linked to a copy of the book on Archive.org.

 

While this is the original edition, published by the artist in 1972, Primary Information produced a facsimile in October 2026.

DESCRIPTION

Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form of the book with the geometric appeal of illegible writing. The “postmodern” hieroglyphics he devised for this typonovel – intended as a narrative variation on concrete poetry – are almost reminiscent of Viking runes. By alternating pages of unreadable literature, beautifully written (literally), with musical scores, drawings, and cryptic diagrams, Cointet introduces the reader to a new age of purely visual reading.

 

Several mystery-language enthusiasts have attempted to penetrate the book’s illegible narrative on international online forums. Among the most plausible readings is that proposed by ShadowWolf and Matthew Brown, who analysed the square cryptogram on the cover and suggested that its plaintext begins with a passage concerning ridged patterns on the argonaut shell and giant cactus. They traced the passage to Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics (1943) by Cummins and Midlo, p. 35, and even linked to a copy of the book on Archive.org.

 

While this is the original edition, published by the artist in 1972, Primary Information produced a facsimile in October 2026.

Los Angeles: Self-published
Unpaginated [48 pages]
17.7 × 12.7 cm
Edition of 500

Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form of the book with the geometric appeal of illegible writing. The “postmodern” hieroglyphics he devised for this typonovel – intended as a narrative variation on concrete poetry – are almost reminiscent of Viking runes. By alternating pages of unreadable literature, beautifully written (literally), with musical scores, drawings, and cryptic diagrams, Cointet introduces the reader to a new age of purely visual reading.

 

Several mystery-language enthusiasts have attempted to penetrate the book’s illegible narrative on international online forums. Among the most plausible readings is that proposed by ShadowWolf and Matthew Brown, who analysed the square cryptogram on the cover and suggested that its plaintext begins with a passage concerning ridged patterns on the argonaut shell and giant cactus. They traced the passage to Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics (1943) by Cummins and Midlo, p. 35, and even linked to a copy of the book on Archive.org.

 

While this is the original edition, published by the artist in 1972, Primary Information produced a facsimile in October 2026.

MORE BOOKS

Guy de Cointet’s A Captain from Portugal (1972) is a real “catch” for typographers and book aficionados alike. The Los Angeles–based, Paris-born conceptual artist transforms language into an enigmatic visual code, merging the literary form of the book with the geometric appeal of illegible writing. The “postmodern” hieroglyphics he devised for this typonovel – intended as a narrative variation on concrete poetry – are almost reminiscent of Viking runes. By alternating pages of unreadable literature, beautifully written (literally), with musical scores, drawings, and cryptic diagrams, Cointet introduces the reader to a new age of purely visual reading.

 

Several mystery-language enthusiasts have attempted to penetrate the book’s illegible narrative on international online forums. Among the most plausible readings is that proposed by ShadowWolf and Matthew Brown, who analysed the square cryptogram on the cover and suggested that its plaintext begins with a passage concerning ridged patterns on the argonaut shell and giant cactus. They traced the passage to Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphics (1943) by Cummins and Midlo, p. 35, and even linked to a copy of the book on Archive.org.

 

While this is the original edition, published by the artist in 1972, Primary Information produced a facsimile in October 2026.

MORE BOOKS