wiedler.ch

book (design) story #26

jean arp:
onze peintres vus par arp

editions dr h. girsberger, zürich, 1949
printer: offizin der art. institut orell füssli a.-g., zürich
size: 25 x 21 cm
designer: richard paul lohse

in this book jean arp (1887-1966) writes poetic texts about eleven artists whose paintings are reproduced in collotype – one of them arp himself. the alsatian artist was bilingual, and some of his texts are in german, others in french. the first chapter is about his late wife sophie taeuber (she is spelt "tæuber" on the glassine jacket).

the impressum states that the book was designed by richard paul lohse (1902-1988). it is a deluxe example of swiss typography. typical for lohse: headings and text are the same size and weight, an approach towards standardisation and non-hierarchical, "democratic" structures also present in lohse's painting (nice idea, but it often doesn't quite improve reader-friendliness). the pictorial wrappers and printed glassine cover are a style very similar to max bill's design for the sophie taeuber book shown last week (see story 25).

there was a deluxe edition with two signed woodcuts by leuppi and arp, and an unsigned woodcut by kandinsky. a limited edition included an unsigned woodcut by arp. this copy came without prints (the remainders were sold without, according to the expert, hans bolliger).

the beautiful cover artwork is often attributed to jean arp, probably because "papiers dechirés" (torn papers) are a style usually associated with this artist. but according to the publisher's memoirs this cover artwork is actually by leo leuppi (1893-1972), an (often overlooked) swiss abstract painter and friend of arp who is featured in the book (leuppi and lohse cofounded the "allianz", an association of swiss modern artists, in 1937. sophie taeuber and jean arp were members.