Bauhaus & Constructivism
Geometry as a social programme — art built like architecture.
Two connected projects: the Bauhaus in Germany, which set out to unify art, craft and industry, and Constructivism in revolutionary Russia, which held that art should be built for use rather than contemplation. Both produced work of extraordinary graphic clarity — circles, diagonals, primary colour, sans-serif type — and both were shut down by politics within twenty years.
What to look for
- Primary colour with black, white and grey
- Hard geometry: circle, square, diagonal
- Typography treated as an image
- Industrial and printing processes embraced
How it is made
Lithography, letterpress, photomontage and gouache on board, alongside painting. Reproducibility was a principle, not a compromise.
Before you buy
Much of this period exists as prints and posters. Establish whether a piece is an original print of the period, a later restrike, or a modern reproduction — the difference is enormous.
Other movements