JGDelgado458
Josef Muller-Brockman "Moodboard"
Researching Josef Müller-Brockmann:
A Juxtaposition of Viewpoints
Josef-Müller Brockmann, the father of Swiss Graphic Design, had a profound impact upon the design
profession and education. Müller-Brockmann is one of the eight most predominant figures in Graphic
design history1 and his professional contributions make him a recurring figure in design books and
periodicals. Viewpoints from numerous sources do not stray too far from one another, as they establish him
as the leading figure in Swiss Graphic Design and main proponent of the grid. However, subtleties exist
between articles and books, often offering new insight into Müller-Brockmann’s career and personality.
In order to describe the juxtapositions between the ways different authors represent Josef Müller-Brockmann
I looked to a variety of analyses. For comparison I selected: Lars Müller’s Josef Müller-Brockmann Pioneer
of Swiss Graphic Design and Heller and Chwast’s Graphic Style; articles from design periodicals Graphis
and Japan’s Idea; as well as, from Brockmann himself in an interview in Eye magazine and his book Grid
Systems in Graphic Design. At times the articles may give more insight into the culture in whence it was
written than new information about Brockmann, but overall they provide a consistent portrait.
Lars Müller published the only complete monograph on Josef Müller-Brockmann not long before his death.
The book includes a kindly introduction by Paul Rand. Lars Müller attempts to explain what spurred the
abrupt change in Brockmann’s career from illustration to Constructive graphic design. Details explain the
influential people and political issues that contributed to Swiss Design, as well as the important
contributions of Moholy-Nagy’s photography and Jan Tschichold’s rules of typography.2 The book
explains how Brockmann established and followed strict rules throughout the rest of his career.
Brockmann’s influence upon American corporate design and ultimately education are covered equally. In
this thorough, yet fairly brief biographical book, details and information are carefully addressed. In the end,
Lars Müller sights a decline in the acceptance of Swiss Graphic Design due to the global political climate
of Vietnam, the cold war and the rise of counter culture.3 At the end of its course, Swiss Graphic Design
was seen as an aesthetic that was quite cold and hostile.4 This opinion was also referenced in an article in
Idea magazine.
Josef Muller-Brockman "Moodboard"
Researching Josef Müller-Brockmann:
A Juxtaposition of Viewpoints
Josef-Müller Brockmann, the father of Swiss Graphic Design, had a profound impact upon the design
profession and education. Müller-Brockmann is one of the eight most predominant figures in Graphic
design history1 and his professional contributions make him a recurring figure in design books and
periodicals. Viewpoints from numerous sources do not stray too far from one another, as they establish him
as the leading figure in Swiss Graphic Design and main proponent of the grid. However, subtleties exist
between articles and books, often offering new insight into Müller-Brockmann’s career and personality.
In order to describe the juxtapositions between the ways different authors represent Josef Müller-Brockmann
I looked to a variety of analyses. For comparison I selected: Lars Müller’s Josef Müller-Brockmann Pioneer
of Swiss Graphic Design and Heller and Chwast’s Graphic Style; articles from design periodicals Graphis
and Japan’s Idea; as well as, from Brockmann himself in an interview in Eye magazine and his book Grid
Systems in Graphic Design. At times the articles may give more insight into the culture in whence it was
written than new information about Brockmann, but overall they provide a consistent portrait.
Lars Müller published the only complete monograph on Josef Müller-Brockmann not long before his death.
The book includes a kindly introduction by Paul Rand. Lars Müller attempts to explain what spurred the
abrupt change in Brockmann’s career from illustration to Constructive graphic design. Details explain the
influential people and political issues that contributed to Swiss Design, as well as the important
contributions of Moholy-Nagy’s photography and Jan Tschichold’s rules of typography.2 The book
explains how Brockmann established and followed strict rules throughout the rest of his career.
Brockmann’s influence upon American corporate design and ultimately education are covered equally. In
this thorough, yet fairly brief biographical book, details and information are carefully addressed. In the end,
Lars Müller sights a decline in the acceptance of Swiss Graphic Design due to the global political climate
of Vietnam, the cold war and the rise of counter culture.3 At the end of its course, Swiss Graphic Design
was seen as an aesthetic that was quite cold and hostile.4 This opinion was also referenced in an article in
Idea magazine.