Page 51 - Studio International - April 1973

flexible use of photographs in printing possible,
and starting in 1924 Piet Zwart occasionally
used photograms and photographs for
commercial art. In the summer of 1926 he
started work on the designs for a 64-page
catalogue for NKF, in which he combined
typography and photograms in a highly
functional way and added photomontage as a
new technique. The pages of this catalogue show
bold asymmetric compositions, built up of text
and sharp photographic close-ups of electric
cables. The layout has a basic unit of two facing
pages, and generates an exciting sequence of
images in which the centre of gravity constantly
shifts. Forms join, clash and blend.
Taken as a whole, the catalogue reflects many
of the principles of the 'new typography',
formulated by Moholy-Nagy, Lissitzky,
Schwitters, and Bayer (Zwart regarded
Tschichold's approach as `doctrinaire'). Earlier
remarks in lettet s aside, no statement of Piet had to be defended, and ideological arguments
Zwart's own views on typography was published for the use of photography in design were
until after 193o. To summarize them: a. strongly voiced. It came to be regarded as a
modern typographic design aims not at beauty serious medium, a new pictorial language with
but at technical precision and economy of its own vocabulary. And it also symbolized the
means; b. it is asymmetrical in a natural way: whole-hearted acceptance by artists of technical
texts 'ragged', slogans running in any direction; science in general.
c. it is elementary: graphic elements (colour In printing, photography could now be
and paper surface included) compose the used as a new, functional element, one as
expressive form; d. it requires `elementary' efficient as movable type and brass rules. Piet
type forms, preferably sans serif; e. it requires Zwart: 'The old typography was flat, static.
international standardization; and f. it When it used woodcuts or other illustrations,
welcomes the possibilities of modern it did so in a decorative way. But the application (Opposite top)
Piet Zwart c. 1928
reproduction techniques.5 of photography as an integral part of the
In 1929 Piet Zwart was given a chance to (Opposite bottom)
Double page spread from catalogue of
apply these principles in a domain that so far composition makes the new typography three- NKF N.V. Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek, Delft, 1926
dimensional and dynamic. Space and movement
had been governed exclusively by traditional are incorporated into its field of action . . . The (Above)
rules of design: the Netherlands postal, contrast between three-dimensional image and Page 3 of a brochure for Broadcasting
telegraph, and telephone service (PTT), whose flat type is the active element in the composition. Station Scheveningen, 1928
progressive Secretary-General, J. F. Van Royen, It is the task of photo-typography to unite these (Below)
gave him commissions to design booklets, elements and build them into an explicit form.'? Double page spread from catalogue of
posters, formsheets, exhibition stands, and even NKF N.V. Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek, Delft, 1926
postage stamps. The stamps, produced in 1931
and 1933, were the first to be based on
photomontage.
A striking example of Piet Zwart's early work
for the PTT is a folder on telecommunication
with a photogram on the cover. In general he
rarely used that particular technique and only
where it had a real function. He rejected the
indiscriminate or decorative use of photograms,
because he saw them as being too much 'chance
creations'.6 Another fine piece of typography
prepared for the PTT is the booklet ook post voor
u ? (getters from you, too ?'), advertising 1929
airmail. Several typographic and photographic
puns were used to get the message of the PTT
across. Piet Zwart's programmatical use of
lower case type as a specimen of `normalized'
typography (`Holland is as unmotivated as
hOLLAND', his argument ran) shocked many
right-minded countrymen, above all when they
saw 'Dutch East Indies' printed as 'dutch east
indies'.
Regarded retrospectively, photograms and
photomontage gave graphic design a very special
charm between the wars. At that time their use
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