The Enduring Legacy of Weimar

This vibrant book tells the history of the Modernist design movement and how it completely revolutionised graphic design.

Graphic Design as an artistic genre wasn't universally accepted until the early 20th century. This striking book focuses on the pivotal years of 1919-1933 to show how fifty artists redefined the field and helped create modern graphic design. Art historian and graphic artist Alston Purvis provides a concise and engaging overview of the dawn of modern graphic design and the artistic possibilities that were laid bare in a seismically shifting Europe. He explores how a variety of burgeoning and established movements contributed to the innovations of graphic design such as the German Dadaists, the Bauhaus School, and the European avant-garde artists.

He looks at how groundbreaking trends in typography, the rise of consumerism, and a new focus on schools of graphic design combined to create a new language of design that is still in use today. Featuring the designs of 50 pioneering artists, such as Walter Gropius, Paul Klee, and El Lissitzky, this book shows how their work in colour, typography, and composition broke conventions and set new standards in a seminal period of graphic design.

Book Features:

• Modernist design is a style that emerged after World War I. It is characterised by a focus on functionality instead of ornamentation. In graphic design there was an emphasis on negative space and using clean sans-serif type. The idea was to create strong graphics without being overly decorated.
• Profiles 50 major designers, graphic designers, and artists from the early 20th century and showcases their groundbreaking work.
• The early 20th centrury period of design is very popular today and some of the most famous design and art movements from that time include Bauhaus, Dada, and New Typography.
• A definitive book on the history of Modernist design and designers.
• Includes stellar examples of works by Schwitters, Hoch, Gropius, Klee, Kandinsky, Tschihold, El Lissitsky, Rodchenko, Zwaart, and many more.
• Lavishly illustrated with over 200 full colour images and includes in-depth commentary on each artist.

200 colour images

About the Author

Alston Purvis is Professor of Visual Arts and Chair of the Department of Graphic Design at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. He is the author of numerous books on typography and graphic design.