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book (design) story #313

arnold rüdlinger:
ernest bolens

kunsthalle, basel, 1961
printer: benno schwabe & co., basel
size: 21 x 17 cm
designer: armin hofmann (cover)

the posters and catalogues of the kunsthalle basel are great examples for "basel school" swiss typography. this catalogue cover (and identical title page) was designed by armin hofmann (*1920).

hofmann employed akzidenz-grotesk in an asymmetric system also used for other kunsthalle catalogues: the two longest words, "kunsthalle" and "bolens", are set ranged-right; the shorter words "ernest" and "basel" are then aligned with the second-longest word "bolens" and set ranged-left.

the introductory text for this exhibtion of local painter ernest bolens (1881-1959) is signed "a. r." ...

... which stands for kunsthalle director arnold rüdlinger (1919-1967).

some of the ads also reveal the influence of the "swiss style", e.g. the famous cliché schwitter logo by karl gerstner.