wiedler.ch

book (design) story #733

(unknown) :
die schweiz / sommer 1935

schweizerische verkehrszentrale, zürich, 1935
printer: buch- und tiefdruck büchler & co., bern
size: 32 x 25 cm
designer: herbert matter, paul renner

always a joy to find a work previously unknown to me by the great swiss photomontage wizard of the 1930s. look at this 1935 cover of the swiss tourism magazine "die schweiz": a close-up photograph of a pale girl in front of snowy peaks and a blue sky, looking straight at you with big dark eyes, a deep blue gentian flower cheekily between her lips, and a colourful butterfly flickering above her eye announcing summertime!

no one else but herbert matter (1907-1984) could have created that, and his signature on the cover confirms this.

the swiss national tourist board developed the design concept for this magazine in cooperation with paul renner (1878-1956), according to chris burke's brilliant monograph (isbn 9781568981581). the title page photomontage above is also by herbert matter.

the main text typeface is renner's own futura, with beton and quick (aka trafton script) for headings.

many of the ads have a modernist touch, too.