wiedler.ch

book (design) story #271

max nauta:
kunst in vrijheid

rijksmuseum, amsterdam, 1945
printer: duwaer, amsterdam
size: 21 x 15 cm
designer: friedrich vordemberge-gildewart

this is the cataloge of the first big art exhibition in the netherlands after ww2. it took place at the rijksmuseum amsterdam in september/october 1945. the show was called "art in freedom".

the bright red cover with its asymmetric composition – white circles and blue (sans-serif, lowercase) title – reminds of a constructivist painting, a style of art that was suppressed by the nazi occupators in holland and elsewhere.

on the back cover in tiny print: "duwaer v-g". which means that this catalogue was designed by german constructivist painter/graphic designer friedrich vordemberge-gildewart (1899-1962) and printed by the duwaer company – see also story 267.

the asymmetrically composed title page is followed by one saying: "patroness: h. m. the queen", the latter set in script.

there is a foreword by dutch artist max nauta (1896-1958).

the catalogue lists more than a thousand artworks! the paper quality is rather poor, as often seen with early postwar publications.