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book (design) story #501

rené berger:
1er salon international de galeries-pilotes, lausanne

musée cantonal des beaux-arts, lausanne, 1963
size: 19 x 20 cm
designer: andré burnand

the swiss modernist typography/graphic design style of the 1950-60s was mainly a phenomenon of german-speaking switzerland, with zürich and basel being the centres. the french-speaking west and italian-speaking south were more orientated towards france, and italy repectively.

there were exceptions, though, like this 1963 exhibition catalogue. it was a "salon" of international galleries in lausanne.

there is a actually a well-made website about the three salons 1963-65, with online facsimiles of the catalogues.

here the section of the legendary galerie denise rené, paris, with a color plate of a painting by auguste herbin.

the catalogue's design by andré burnand (info?) is 100% (german-)swiss style, including the geometric logotype on the cover: square book format, multi-column grid-based layout, different sections with different colour paper, and sans-serif type, of course. the catalogue made it among the "most beautiful swiss books of 1963".