How many pen widths tall should a lowercase "y" be when written in Italic?

The correct answer, which states that a lowercase "y" should be 10 pen widths tall when written in Italic, aligns with traditional calligraphy standards, particularly for Italic scripts. The height of 10 pen widths serves as a guideline for maintaining proportion and legibility in the font style.

In Italic calligraphy, the lowercase letters are generally designed with specific dimensions to ensure they are aesthetically pleasing and consistent with the overall script. By using 10 pen widths as the height for the lowercase "y," the calligrapher can achieve a balanced look in relation to other lowercase letters and maintain the characteristic slant and flow of the Italic style.

This height allows the descender of the "y" to extend downward while still being in proportion with the rest of the letters, enhancing the beauty and fluidity of the script. It effectively balances the ascenders and descenders in an italicized context, fostering coherence in the entire word or phrase being written.