New Typography, the Bauhaus, and its Impact on Graphic Design

Abstract

The “Bauhausstil” in graphic design, as the New Typography movement's innovation was soon called, had its roots in de Stijl, Russian constructivism, and Dadaism rather than at the famous German art school. It was Bauhaus master László Moholy-Nagy, however, who coined the term New Typography in his essay for a 1923 Bauhaus exhibition catalogue. He laid the foundations for a dramatic shift in the design of printed matter, taking a functionalist approach which banned all decorative elements, highlighted the dynamic impression of an asymmetric layout, promoted the white space as a means of expression, advocated lower-case writing and the use of sans-serif typefaces, and substituted photography and photomontage for drawings. The international impact of “Bauhaus” typography on graphic design practice was enormous, even though it was not a leading force in the paradigm shift caused by the New Typography. The actual impact of the Bauhaus in relation lay elsewhere. Finally, the New Typography – originally perceived as a “leftist” style – was also adopted by totalitarian regimes as a means of effective communication, thus exerting an effect even on those who demonized the Bauhaus and its ideas in many other realms.