Bauhaus is translated as “construction style” and its origin is from the German art school in the early 20th century. The school was founded by the architect called Walter Gropius in 1919 and the idea was to bring the variety of art under one roof. In 1925 the school moved to Dessau then in 1932 to Berlin until ended closed by the Nazis.
Designer: Walter Gropius
Bauhaus style came as an opposition to Art and Craft movement being defined by its machine culture. The approach was modernist using bold colours and minimal elements. The style was minimal bringing basic shapes and colour into the centre of attention. The most common type was sans serif its dynamic were very expressive through the layouts. The colours used were the primary colours.
Artist: Wassily Kandinsky
Important figures
Johannes Itten was a Swiss painter and a important teacher at the Bauhaus school. He developed the book about colour theories called “The Art of Colour” (1961). He once said:
He who wants to become a master of color must see, feel, and experience each individual color in its many endless combinations with all other colors,”
(Johannes Itten | artnet, n.d.)
“Colors must have a mystical capacity for spiritual expression, without being tied to objects.”
(Johannes Itten | artnet, n.d.)
He left the school in 1923, after a lot of arguments about the direction of the school that was taken.
Galerie Orlando
Figure 4. Ein Teppichentwurf, zwei Farbgitter
, ca. 1930
Paul Klee was a Swiss German musician and artist. He combined music with visual art such as the power of colour being attached to the musical sonority. He was a transcendentalist who believed that the reality that we are experience as human is one of many more. His use of design, pattern and colour is based on that principle. He challenge the traditional boundaries by exploring new symbols and signs like arrows, letters or musical notations.
He experimented with different techniques and powerful colours by applying painting in unusual ways or experimenting with different materials like burlap, cardboard panel and muslin.
Lyonel Feininger was an American German artist and was member of German Expressionist Movement. His work is a combination of cubism angular shapes and expressionism emotion.
“Each individual work serves as an expression of our most personal state of mind at that particular moment and of the inescapable, imperative need for release by means of an appropriate act of creation: in the rhythm, form, color, and mood of a picture,”
(Lyonel Feininger | artnet, n.d.)
He made his famous work ” The Cathedral” in 1919. In the same year he accepted the invitation to teach at Bauhaus.
László Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian artist who explored painting, photography, film, sculpture and graphic design. His work is influenced by Constructivist style artists like Alexander Rodchenko. He was known for his passion for typography and photography. He brought typography to another level by creating asymetrical typography that as clear, legible and communicated the message. When he was experimenting with photography he place object on photo-sensitive paper and exposed it to the light to create residual impressions.
“The magic possibility of framing a certain space and time is what brought me to photography. This process of recording elements of three dimensions in the flow of time, and fixing them in a two-dimensional image, creates a new context for the elements of the photograph.”
(László Moholy-Nagy | artnet, n.d.)
Anni Albers experimented with basic structure of weaving and textile design and became one of the most successful members of the workshop. She introduced new techniques to the weaving workshop developing a set of textile for the ADGB auditorium using different types of synthetic fabrics. Her research led to new innovations in theatre design.
Marianne Brandt was known for her metal work as the best of Weimar and Dessau Bauhaus and her photo montage. The photo montage work begun in 1926 and was focused on the complex situation of women in the interwar period in times where there were traditional prejudice experienced.
She was also known as a pioneer in photography by her experimental still- life compositions and her powerful series of self-portraits which represented her as a strong new independent women at the Bauhaus school.
Herbert Bayer was an Australian designer who created dynamic typefaces, paintings and architecture. He believed that serifs were pointless and he wanted to simplify typesetting and typewriter keyboard layout.
His work is defined by its minimalist and crisp aesthetic which was influenced by Bauhaus school.
Jan Tschichold was a German calligrapher, typographer, book designer and educator. He is considered one of the most important figure in typography in the 20th century. He was not a student at Bauhaus school but he was influenced by its vision on typography.
His most famous work called “The new Typography was a call of outrage against all fonts except sans-serif. He wanted to find a new asymmetrical typography to express the spirit and life of the day. He believed that
“the essence of the new typography is clarity. This puts it into deliberate opposition to the old typography whose aim was ‘beauty’… The aim of every typographic work {should be} the delivery of a message in the shortest, most efficient manner… White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background period… Asymmetry is the rhythmic expression of functional design. In addition to being more logical, asymmetry has the advantage that its complete appearance is far more optically effective and symmetry.”
(Strizver, 2018)
After he fled from the Nazi government in 1933 he started to slowly abandon the influence on Bauhaus and return to Classicism.
In 1940 he started working for Penguin publishing house in London. The Penguin composition rules and King Penguin standard grids represented one of the typographic revolution that Jan did. He combined different styles of Gill Sans to emphasise geometric shape of a sans serif style. After Penguin, he returned to Switzerland in 1949 and continued his work there.
He did a lot of typeface designs but his most famous is Sabon, designed in 1967. It was inspired by a 1953 Garamond interpretation and was created as a response to a request by a German type to equal spacing in the roman and italic version.
Gunta Stolzl was influenced by the Bauhaus myth and manifesto focusing on the reinterpretation rather than the transmission of the subject. She started as a student and became a master of the weaving department at Bauhaus.
Gertrud Arndt was known for her staged portraits under the name of a series title called Maskenselbstporträts which translates to “masked-self- portraits” She dressed in lace, veils, scarfs and flowers which represented a disguise that portraits a different personality like the good girl, the respectable lady, the femme fatale or the serious widow. She is considered one of the pioneers of self-portraits.
, 1929–1930
Contemporany Influences
The Bauhaus is considered one of the most influential design school in modern history. Its legacy can be seen in architecture, furniture, fashion and graphic design. Despite its closure, ideas spread with the help of students across other countries like Switzerland, UK and USA which led to refinement and evolution.
I found a lot of artists being inspired by this style. Some of them did an amazing job in bringing along the essence of the movement.
Alexis Christodoulou — 3D Artist
Figure 28 
Figure 29
“Bauhaus matters as an example of a school of ideas that were embodied in all aspects of life. I believe it’s important to preserve and continue to learn from the movement as it teaches us to adopt our designs as a way of living as much as a way of creating images or objects. Bauhaus has certainly inspired my work. It is a constant reminder in my process to simplify and find the essence of the image that I am trying to convey.”
(10 contemporary designers and artists on why the Bauhaus matters, n.d.)
Artur de Menezes Fernandes — industrial designer
Figure 30 
Figure 31
“I think its importance stems from the way the design field thinks about the manufacturing process on an industrial scale. This is the Bauhaus mindset: where the machine and industrial production, as well as product design, have a prominent place. Recently, I designed a piece called, “Oil Chair”, inspired by the modernist movement, but with a re-reading from my own point of view, using glass and holographic aspect finishing. I remember hearing a lot about Bauhaus during my design studied, but no more than this. Except for “Oil Chair”, I would say that the Bauhaus has an indirect effect on my work in terms of visual appeal.”
(10 contemporary designers and artists on why the Bauhaus matters, n.d.)
Dominique Teufen — photographer
Photography 2014
“Why Bauhaus still matters today is a very broad question to answer and I think that many people have already said a lot about it. For me, the Bauhaus language speaks of strong innovation and transformation and I think this still is of great matter today. Not only in the fields of art, where we have to reinvent our selves constantly, but it is a fundamental necessity for all of humanity. In order for us to survive the coming century, we must start questioning our prevailing views on life, we need to be innovative, we need to change our perception of reality and transform our way of living now.”
(10 contemporary designers and artists on why the Bauhaus matters, n.d.)
Sources:
albertobarbieri1971. n.d. JAN TSCHICHOLD. <https://albertobarbieri1971.wordpress.com/london-underground/jan-tschichold/> ;
AnOther. n.d. The Many Disguises Of Bauhaus Photographer Gertrud Arndt.https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/8976/the-many-disguises-of-bauhaus-photographer-gertrud-arndt;
Artnet.com. n.d. Maskenselbstportrait Dessau By Gertrudarndt. http://www.artnet.com/artists/gertrud-arndt/maskenselbstportrait-dessau-ZnkP3r1VvMJnlyBD3Ijo1w2;
Astbury, J., n.d. Herbert Bayer: Creator Of The Bauhaus’ Universal Typography. <https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/06/herbert-bayer-bauhaus-100-typography-universal-typeface-font/>;
International Center of Photography. n.d. Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages Of Marianne Brandt. <https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/tempo-tempo-the-bauhaus-photomontages-of-marianne-brandt#> ;
Julia Brucker,Paul Klee Artist Overview and Analysis, 2020. TheArtStory.org,
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/klee-paul/;
Larissa Borteh, “Bauhaus Movement Overview and Analysis”. 2020. TheArtStory.org https://www.theartstory.org/movement/bauhaus/artworks/;
My Modern Met. n.d. Bauhaus: How The Avant-Garde Movement Transformed Modern Art. https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-bauhaus-art-movement/;
PeoplePill. n.d. Marianne Brandt: German Artist (1893-1983) – Biography And Life. https://peoplepill.com/people/marianne-brandt-2;
Paulklee.net. n.d. A Young Lady’s Adventure, 1922, By Paul Klee. <https://www.paulklee.net/a-young-ladys-adventure.jsp> ;
Rebecca Seiferle László Moholy-Nagy Artist Overview and Analysis, 2020. TheArtStory.org, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/moholy-nagy-laszlo/artworks/;
Sarah Archino, Anni Albers Artist Overview and Analysis,2020. TheArtStory.org,
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/albers-anni/;
Sleek-mag.com. n.d. 10 Contemporary Designers And Artists On Why The Bauhaus Matters. https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/bauhaus-matters/?fbclid=IwAR1q5YhsW_E7zSZAsw4mQDgMbDPF_1QskDVjUsPQwPDMl6wfEVMkNrWhz0g ;
Strizver, I., 2018. Jan Tschichold, Master Typographer Of The 20Th Century – Creativepro.Com <https://creativepro.com/jan-tschichold-master-typographer-of-the-20th-century/;
Tschichold, J., n.d. Jan Tschichold. Widewalls. <https://www.widewalls.ch/artist/jan-tschichold/>.
Images:
Figure 1. Larissa Borteh, “Bauhaus Movement Overview and Analysis”. 2020. TheArtStory.org https://www.theartstory.org/movement/bauhaus/artworks/;
Figure 2. Larissa Borteh, “Bauhaus Movement Overview and Analysis”. 2020. TheArtStory.org https://www.theartstory.org/movement/bauhaus/artworks/;
Figure 3. http://www.artnet.com/artists/johannes-itten/keimen-germination-a-6Wbr-kX7KF5vrTB-b1xocQ2;
Figure 5. Paulklee.net. n.d. A Young Lady’s Adventure, 1922, By Paul Klee. <https://www.paulklee.net/a-young-ladys-adventure.jsp>;
Figure 6. Paulklee.net. n.d. A Young Lady’s Adventure, 1922, By Paul Klee. <https://www.paulklee.net/a-young-ladys-adventure.jsp>;
Figure 7. https://www.flickr.com/photos/artimageslibrary/7310008390;
Figure 8. https://www.artsy.net/artwork/lyonel-feininger-woman-in-mauve;
Figure 9. https://www.wikiart.org/en/lyonel-feininger/cathedral-of-socialism-1919;
Figure 10. Moholy-Nagy, L., n.d. László Moholy-Nagy Artworks & Famous Art. [online] The Art Story. Available at: <https://www.theartstory.org/artist/moholy-nagy-laszlo/artworks/>;
Figure 11. Moholy-Nagy, L., n.d. László Moholy-Nagy Artworks & Famous Art. [online] The Art Story. Available at: <https://www.theartstory.org/artist/moholy-nagy-laszlo/artworks/>;
Figure 12. Moholy-Nagy, L., n.d. László Moholy-Nagy Artworks & Famous Art. [online] The Art Story. Available at: <https://www.theartstory.org/artist/moholy-nagy-laszlo/artworks/>;
Figure 13. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/3746
Figure 14. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/3763
Figure 15. International Center of Photography. n.d. Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages Of Marianne Brandt. <https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/tempo-tempo-the-bauhaus-photomontages-of-marianne-brandt#>
Figure 16. International Center of Photography. n.d. Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages Of Marianne Brandt. <https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/tempo-tempo-the-bauhaus-photomontages-of-marianne-brandt#>
Figure 17. International Center of Photography. n.d. Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages Of Marianne Brandt. <https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/tempo-tempo-the-bauhaus-photomontages-of-marianne-brandt#>
Figure 19. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bayer-chromatic-twist-p04034;
Figure 20. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bayer-complementary-with-gold-p04035;
Figure 21. albertobarbieri1971. n.d. JAN TSCHICHOLD. <https://albertobarbieri1971.wordpress.com/london-underground/jan-tschichold/>;
Figure 22. Tschichold, J., n.d. Jan Tschichold. Widewalls. <https://www.widewalls.ch/artist/jan-tschichold/>;
Figure 23. Strizver, I., 2018. Jan Tschichold, Master Typographer Of The 20Th Century – Creativepro.Com <https://creativepro.com/jan-tschichold-master-typographer-of-the-20th-century/;
Figure 24. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/90986854954648981/;
Figure 25. https://ro.pinterest.com/pin/255720085075055200/;
Figure 26. Artnet.com. n.d. Maskenselbstportrait Dessau By Gertrudarndt. http://www.artnet.com/artists/gertrud-arndt/maskenselbstportrait-dessau-ZnkP3r1VvMJnlyBD3Ijo1w2;
Figure 27. Artnet.com. n.d. Maskenselbstportrait Dessau By Gertrudarndt. http://www.artnet.com/artists/gertrud-arndt/maskenselbstportrait-dessau-ZnkP3r1VvMJnlyBD3Ijo1w2;
Figure 28 to Figure 32 Sleek-mag.com. n.d. 10 Contemporary Designers And Artists On Why The Bauhaus Matters. https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/bauhaus-matters/?fbclid=IwAR1q5YhsW_E7zSZAsw4mQDgMbDPF_1QskDVjUsPQwPDMl6wfEVMkNrWhz0g.
Laura Elena Agafitei 