Johannes Kepler signature

A large rounded opening loops above the left of this historical autograph.

Johannes Kepler's signature
Vector tracing of the signature specimen. Image credit: Johannes Kepler, freigestellt von Birkho · Public domain.

What does Johannes Kepler’s signature look like?

A large rounded opening loops above the left of this historical autograph. Smaller connected name forms stretch to the right, with longer pointed descenders interrupting the later band. Compare the opening’s wide empty space with the compact written center: the initial provides most of the upper height, while the later returns extend the outline below.

Slant
+13°forward
Baseline
−2.1°falling
Width / height
3.45 : 1overall proportions
Opening height
2.00×opening versus body letters

About Johannes Kepler and this autograph

Johannes Kepler (1571 – 15 November 1630) was a German mathematician and astronomer. This specimen is the Wikimedia Commons vector rendering of Johannes Kepler’s signature.

Johannes Kepler signature and handwriting analysis

Johannes Kepler’s signature sample has 13° of forward slant, a falling baseline and 7 enclosed loops. Comparing autograph strokes, baseline angle (−2.1°), slant (+13°), opening ratio (2.00×) and enclosed loops (7) reveals how individual signature traits contrast with standard handwriting features. Use the layers to follow the writing line, letter band, slant and enclosed loops.

Slantforward
+13°
Baselinefalling
−2.1°
Width / heightoverall proportions
3.45 : 1
Opening heightopening versus body letters
2.00×
Enclosed loopsclosed spaces in the image
7
Ink groupsmain disconnected groups
1
Ink densityinside the signature bounds
14.4%
Underlineno long lower flourish
None
Finish heightrelative to the letter body
+0.19×

Opening, letter body and finish

The opening stays near the height of the body letters. The opening-to-body ratio is 2.00×, while the whole image is 3.45 times as wide as it is tall. The rightmost ink finishes above the writing line; look at this ending separately from the slant of the letters themselves.

Loops and the lower flourish

The sample contains 7 enclosed loops and 1 main ink group. The letterforms carry the main horizontal movement; there is no long lower underline detected beneath their band.

All 11 measured signature features

Slant

+13°
−450°+45Slant +13° from vertical+13° from vertical

Angle of the letter strokes from vertical. Positive angles lean right; negative angles lean left.

The signature has a forward slant (+13°). The blue-green guides show the lean of strokes across the name.

Baseline

−2.1°
Baseline −2.1 degrees from horizontalstartfinish−2.1° · dashed = level

Direction of the writing line from the beginning to the end of the signature.

The writing line falls (−2.1°). The red guide follows the base of the letters, separate from lower loops and flourishes.

Opening capital

2.0×
Opening height 2.0 times following lettersopeningbody2.0×1×

Height of the opening letter relative to the typical letters that follow. 1× means similar heights.

The opening stands 2.0 times as high as the following letters. The purple box marks its area; the dashed blue guide marks the letter-body band.

Enclosed loops

7
7 enclosed loops highlighted in the measured signature7 enclosed spaces

Closed spaces surrounded by ink, counted across the whole signature.

There are 7 enclosed loops in the sample. Orange outlines locate them. Compare their size and placement within the name.

Ink groups

1
1 connected ink group; each circle represents one groupeach circle = one ink group1 group in the sample

Separate connected areas of ink in the image. Dots or detached letters can form additional groups.

The signature contains 1 main ink group. Most of the visible ink joins into one connected shape. Look at where those shapes join or separate.

Ink density

14%
14.4 percent of signature area filled with ink14.4% filled areagrid = 100% of signature area

Share of the signature’s enclosing rectangle occupied by ink.

Ink covers 14% of the measured signature area; the rest is open space. Compare the open areas with the thickness of the visible strokes.

Underline / flourish

None
Measured signature without a long lower underlineNo lower underline

Length of a lower underline or flourish compared with the full signature width.

No long lower underline is detected. The name is carried by the letterforms and their own lower strokes.

Finish height

+0.2×
Finish +0.2 typical letter heights from baseline1×baseline+0.2× · above / below line

Height of the rightmost ending above or below the baseline, in typical letter heights. Positive is above; negative is below.

The ending sits close to the writing line (+0.2 letter heights). The orange guide locates the finish relative to the red baseline.

Width / height

3.5 : 1
Signature ink width 1082 pixels and height 313 pixels1082 px wide × 313 px high

Full ink width divided by full ink height, including the signature’s tall and low strokes.

The shape is 3.5 times as wide as it is high. Its ink spans 1082 × 313 image pixels. Compare the horizontal spread with the vertical reach of the capitals and loops.

Ornamentation

3.7×
Stroke path 3963 pixels compared with 1082 pixel signature widthstroke path3,963 pxname width1082 pxpath is 3.7× the width

Total traced stroke length divided by signature width. More turns and retraced shapes add length.

The traced strokes total 3,963 pixels, about 3.7 times the signature’s width. Look for loops, turns and flourishes that add movement within that width.

Angularity

4.5
4.5 corners per 100 pixels of ink outline02.55corners per 100 px of outline

Number of corners per 100 pixels of traced ink outline. Higher values indicate more frequent sharp turns.

The outline contains about 4.5 corners per 100 pixels. Inspect the turns in the pen-path layer and compare pointed changes of direction with rounded curves.

Signatures with similar shapes

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