Bauhaus Ausstellung Weimar 1923

The artwork Bauhaus Ausstellung Weimar 1923 by Paul Klee is a seminal example of early modernist graphic Design, created in 1923. Executed as a lithograph, this powerful print served as the official poster announcing the first major public exhibition of the revolutionary German art school, the Bauhaus, held in Weimar that year. The work is a crucial historical artifact documenting the institution's pivot toward functionalism and industrial aesthetics.

Klee, who taught design and color theory at the Bauhaus starting in 1921, created a highly reductive geometric composition, utilizing interlocking shapes and stark contrasts. The design reflects the school's central philosophical shift encapsulated by the slogan for the event: "Art and Technology, a New Unity." Through precise line work and measured deployment of color, the lithograph successfully communicated the abstract and forward-thinking mission of the institution to the public. The reliance on lithography was strategic, as the medium allowed for crisp execution and mass production and distribution, aligning perfectly with the Bauhaus's goal of integrating art and design into industrial applications and daily life.

As a leading figure, Klee’s contribution to the visual identity of the exhibition was profound. The clarity and precision seen in this design encapsulate the spirit of functional modernism developing within German culture during the 1920s. This piece, dating specifically to 1923, stands as a visual record of a pivotal moment in the history of modern art pedagogy and graphic design. Today, original prints of this historic design are preserved in institutional collections worldwide, underscoring its significance. This essential work is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.