Gropius, Albers, Moholy-Nagy,
The Bauhaus school existed in Germany from 1919-1933.
During that time it moved from Weimar to Dessau to Berlin. The staff's
diverse background contributed to a comprehensive course study during
each of these periods. Each of the instructors were well respected
artist, architects and artisans in their own right. Many of those
involved with the Bauhaus, professors as well as students, have
their own place in art history books. Vasily Kandinsky and Paul
Klee are examples of those best known for the legacy of art work,
rather than being involved with the Bauhaus. However, a number of
professors are mainly known for their involvement with the Bauhaus
more than anything else.
Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus school
in Weimar Germany in 1919. He is the primary name associated with
the Bauhaus and was the key person in shaping its philosophy. He
was the director in Weimar and Dessau. Gropius was an architect,
which influenced the initial course offerings and philosophy of
the school. Gropius coined the term Bauhaus which means 'building
house' in German.
An early accomplishment in Gropius's career was
a factory design for the Fagus Shoe
Company. The adoption of structural steel and ferroconcrete
freed the wall of its function as a structural element. Thus, to
Gropious and those who followed the International Style of the 1920s,
the wall was merely a curtain or climate barrier.(Arnason, p.312)
Gropius was one of the first architects consistently design buildings
using the wall in this manner. Many of his buildings used all glass
walls, which was not common at the time. The "glass curtain"
is now used by most architects, and can be seen in any modern city. -more-
Johannes Itten was initially responsible
for teaching the preliminary 'basic' course. However, his philosophical
perspective did not suite the Bauhaus. A rift developed over Itten's
belief that one could attain "personal salvation through mystical
communion with matter", his followers "sought to transcend
reality, and in doing so they questioned the fundamental premises
of Bauhaus teaching."(Naylor, p.66) Itten's contribution to
visual communication was in the area of color, his book The Art
of Color was subtitled A treatis on the color system.
He said of color, "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. Colors must have a mystical
capacity for spiritual expression, without being tied to objects."
(Itten, p.6) Despite Itten's mystical slant, his color research
is valuable to visual design for its theoretical framework. In his
treatis, Itten included color plates, to show the effects of colors
next to, and on top of each other. -more-
Laszlo Moholy-Nagy took over the preliminary
basic course in 1923 after Itten left. He was involved with the
de Stijl group, which was considered an opposing art movement. The
fact that Gropius chose to ask Moholy-Nagy to teach each at the
Bauhaus was a credit to his skills a building a movement. Moholy-Nagy
was interested in typography, photography and cinema. (Naylor, p.76-79)
Of all the teachers and many students, Moholy-Nagy was the most
important to the development of visual communications. He was one
of the pioneers of camera-less photography.
Moholy-Nagy, like many of the other professors,
went to America after his involvement with the Bauhaus. He eventually
founded the Institute of Design in Chicago, later called the Illinois
Institute of Design. -more-
Josef Albers was involved in research on
the emotional and perceptual impact of color, line and geometric
forms. His contributions included developing methods of educational
instruction. Albers was accomplished in furniture design, lettering
and glass painting. Albers went to the United States, after the
Bauhaus was closed, and first taught at the Black Mountain College
in North Carolina, then at the Cincinnati Art Academy, Yale, the
Pratt Institute and at Harvard.(Wingler, p.422) He influenced the
Abstract Expressionist of the 1950. Whose likes included Stella,
Noland and Olitski, whose work is characterized by large shapes
and flat color. Alber's book, Interaction of Color, is a
corner stone of today's art classroom. Several years later Albers
produced a series of paintings called Homage to the Square.
At first glance, and viewed alone, these paintings appear to be
flat color squares on top of each other. However, as a series, they
represent further commentary on the interaction of colors, how colors
act when next to each other. The Abstract Expressionist of the New
York school were referencing Albers's work for their inspiration.
Many of these large pieces, or similar ones more recently produced,
are displayed in the atrium of large "modern glass buildings". -more-
Herbert Bayer's responsibility at the Bauhaus
included typography and advertising techniques. (Wingler, p.423)
Bayer also set up Bauhaus design exhibitions. He later went to America,
where he developed exhibition techniques and commercial art. Major
department stores, as well as advertising agencies employed him
as an art consultant. (Wingler, p.423) He was very influential in
developing commerical art as a profession in America.
Other professors, at the Bauhaus included
Kandinsky, Klee, Breuer, Meyer. Each of whom have been featured
in their own exhibitions. Kandinsky greatly influenced early abstract
expressionism. Paul Klee wrote Pedagogical Sketchbook which
is an intellectual analysis of his own work. It illustrates the
marriage of scientific and mathematical precision with the organic
processes of the imagination.(Piper, p.657)
Students, included Max Bill who helped found
the Ulm Hochschule fur Gestaltung (Technical College for Design).
This German school was founded in 1950 and reflected the functionalist
Bauhaus principles. (Livinston, p.28) Eliot Noyes was a student
of the Bauhaus who helped develop the IBM Coporate Identity with
Paul Rand (Livinston, p.103). More than 1250 student spent some
time at the Bauhaus. Those students then spread the Bauhaus philosophy
of art and industry working hand-in-hand.
Originaly launched November 1996.
Last updated 2008.