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book (design) story #703

ferdinand lion:
geschichte biologisch gesehen

max niehans verlag, zürich / leipzig, 1935
size: ?? x ?? cm
designer: alfred willimann (cover)

let's stay with zürich-based graphic designer and kunstgewerbeschule teacher alfred willimann (1900-1957) for this and the next story.

this striking paperpack cover is in a more constructive-modernist vein, somewhat reminding of the 1932 exhibition poster "licht" which is probably willimann's most famous graphic design work. note the arrow-like design across the spine.

the colour of the type on the cover changes from blue at the top to green at the bottom, achieved in one print run using the rainbow printing technique (see also story 133).

ferdinand lion (1883-1968) was a writer and journalist born in alsace. coming from a jewish background, he emigrated in 1933 to switzerland, later to france, and returned to switzerland after ww2.