Formal Analysis of Bauhaus
Bauhaus is a German school of design established in Weimar in 1919 by Walter Gropius. Its aim was to bring people working in architecture, modern technology, and the decorative arts together to learn from one another. Realizing that mass production had to be the precondition of successful design in the machine age, its members rejected the Arts and Crafts Movement. The school developed a style that was spare, functional, and geometric. Bauhaus designs are highly prized today, but when the school was active, it was generally unpopular. The Bauhaus was closed by the Nazis 1n 1933, but its members, including Walter Gropius, spread its teachings throughout the world.
Figure 1: Joost Schmidt, Bauhaus exhibition poster, 1923 (Bakke, L, H. 2008).
In Figure 1 one can see that Schmidt used geometrical shapes that consist of rectangles and circles. From the bottom there is a semi circle, then a rectangle and then again a circle at the top where we can see the logo which is also very geometric. Clear and crisp silhouettes are created by the edges, making the image simple, clean and timeless. There is a unity of the shapes that is created by the flat tones of colour making all the shapes fit well together just like a machine does, again emphasizing the machine aesthetic. All of the above mentioned is to represent the function of the poster that is to raise awareness, to inform the people and also to reflect upon machine aesthetic.
If we divide the poster vertically in half one can see that the poster is in an asymmetrical layout because the right hand side is heavier, thus reflecting the machine aesthetic and to ensure that the poster is not boring. The semi circle at the bottom looks like it is keeping the whole layout together just like a machine is fitted together.
Type can also be a part of the shapes in this layout. The type used in figure 1 are block like and bold, they are also made up of geometric shapes such as circles, squares and rectangles, making it
Figure 1: Joost Schmidt, Bauhaus exhibition poster, 1923 (Bakke, L, H. 2008).
In Figure 1 one can see that Schmidt used geometrical shapes that consist of rectangles and circles. From the bottom there is a semi circle, then a rectangle and then again a circle at the top where we can see the logo which is also very geometric. Clear and crisp silhouettes are created by the edges, making the image simple, clean and timeless. There is a unity of the shapes that is created by the flat tones of colour making all the shapes fit well together just like a machine does, again emphasizing the machine aesthetic. All of the above mentioned is to represent the function of the poster that is to raise awareness, to inform the people and also to reflect upon machine aesthetic.
If we divide the poster vertically in half one can see that the poster is in an asymmetrical layout because the right hand side is heavier, thus reflecting the machine aesthetic and to ensure that the poster is not boring. The semi circle at the bottom looks like it is keeping the whole layout together just like a machine is fitted together.
Type can also be a part of the shapes in this layout. The type used in figure 1 are block like and bold, they are also made up of geometric shapes such as circles, squares and rectangles, making it