State Bauhaus in Weimar 1919–1923

In 1919, the state art school in Weimar was reopened under the direction of Walter Gropius, with a radical teaching approach and under the new name Bauhaus. Four years passed before the first exhibition took place, which conveyed a new approach to art to the enthusiastic public and carried the school’s ideas all over the world. The catalogue Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar 1919–1923 was published in 1923 to accompany this first public appearance. In this interdisciplinary oeuvre catalogue, the idea and potential of the Bauhaus found their way onto paper for the first time. In addition to numerous project presentations, the theoretical approaches of Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, and Gertrud Grunow convey the teaching methods of the various workshops. Gropius’ preface traces the structure of the State Bauhaus and presents the unique reformation approach that demands and teaches the unity of technology and art. The illustrations from the various workshops also show projects by students whose connection to the Bauhaus is less known. With the original layout by László Moholy-Nagy and the cover designed by Herbert Bayer, the book is an important testimony to that legendary avant-garde movement. This facsimile is supplemented by a commentary that places this publication, rare and long out of print, in a historical context and documents the Bauhaus from its idea to its establishment as a renowned art and design school. The German facsimile is accompanied by the first full English translation of the catalogue, making it accessible to an international audience.