Bauhaus

by Boris Friedewald

Now available in an updated edition, this book examines the tumultuous history of Bauhaus art and design. This lively introduction to the Bauhaus tells the story of a radical concept of artistic expression that would transcend the boundaries among the arts. Written in an engaging style, the book sheds light on the unconventional lives of the people involved with the Bauhaus, examines the experimental teachings of the movement, and profiles its major figures. It gives an overview of the developments and ideas of the Bauhaus and offers new perspectives on the art and personalities of this important era. Including approximately 100 illustrations, this book presents the historical context that fostered the movement and introduces readers to the major Bauhaus artworks and artists.

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[David Fulmer]

This is a very brief introduction to the Bauhaus, the revolutionary design school in Germany, begun in 1919 and presided over by Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, where numerous notable names in art, architecture, furniture design, graphic design, and textiles either taught or were students during its 14 year lifespan. The cover flap has a timeline and the back flap has short bios of many of the people associated with the Bauhaus and I recommended starting with those 2 resources because the text of the book isn’t always straightforward. The book's strengths are in conveying the philosophy and the atmosphere of the school, but the text is so brief that there is no time to get into an in depth discussion of any of the topics, unfortunately. It is amply illustrated with a few images that are famously associated with the Bauhaus and many more that are less well-known. Overall this is a well-illustrated, brief overview of a school which had an outsized impact on architecture and design in the twentieth century.

[Alan Fricker]

Pretty decent illustrated intro to the bauhaus

[Ekaterina Kiseki]

Very basic text with great illustrations and poor typography

[clare]

good surface level introduction to bauhaus.

[Mark Daye]

A good introduction to the history of Bauhaus.