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book (design) story #191

paul klee:
über die moderne kunst

benteli-verlag, bern-bümpliz, 1945
printer: benteli ag, bern-bümpliz
size: 22 x 22 cm
designer: frida+werner allenbach-meier

artist paul klee (1979-1940) was of german nationality but grew up in bern, switzerland, where he also lived after 1933. this book is a compilation of klee's writings on art with reproductions of drawings.

the book design is credited to "allenbach, bern" which refers to werner allenbach (1903-1975) and his wife frida (maya) allenbach-meier (1907-2002) (see also story 190). the allenbachs were collectors of klee's works. werner allenbach and hans meyer-benteli (director of benteli-verlag, publisher of this book) were among the group of people who helped to save the artist's estate from being sold after lily klee's death in 1946. so the estate stayed in bern – and nowhas its own museum, the zentrum paul klee.

allenbach's book design is typically swiss, with its asymmetric titles and ascetic sans-serif.