Jamie Gray | GD 592 | Book Review| 10.07.

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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
1
design history 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
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contributions of Moholy-Nagy’s photography and Jan Tschichold’s rules of typography. 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
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of Vietnam, the cold war and the rise of counter culture. At the end of its course, Swiss Graphic Design
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was seen as an aesthetic that was quite cold and hostile. This opinion was also referenced in an article in
Idea magazine. The Lars Müller book was written in 1995, at the beginning of what is now called “neo-

1
Martha Scotford, “Is There a Canon of Graphic Design History?” in Design Culture, ed. Steven Heller and
Marie Finamore, 222 (New York: Allworth Press, 1997).
2
Lars Müller, Josef Müller-Brockmann Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design.
(Baden: Verlag Lars Müller, 1995), 14.
3
See Müller, 38.
4
See Müller, 38.
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modern” or “the new simplicity.” Although this current movement is a reaction against post-modernism
and not a “reprisal of the orthodox Swiss International Style”, perhaps Brockmann lived long enough to
see designers embrace the Swiss rules of “unfettered type” again, along side the lessons learned from post
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modernism.

In Graphic Style, Brockmann’s contributions are concisely summed up on one page. Heller highlights the
beginnings of the Swiss design movement, as well as the differences between Josef Müller-Brockmann and
Armin Hoffman’s academic visions at Zurich and Basel, respectively. With simple terms, he lists the
design tools utilized by Brockmann as objective photography, sans serif type, lack of ornamentation and a
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strict use of the grid. However, due to the brevity of the review, there is no mention of Brockmann’s early
work, his time in Japan or his character. The chapter, titled “Swiss International Style,” includes a
collection of corporate logos by various designers that were entries into a trademark competition at
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Brockmann’s Neue Grafik (New Graphic Design) magazine.

In a more personal light, the 1996 interview in Eye magazine gives little detail about Brockmann’s career
but instead provides some very poignant insight into his humble nature and sly sense of humor. For
example, when the interviewer, Yvonne Schwemer-Scheddin, asks what is his best work, Brockmann
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humorously replies, “The white reverse side of my posters!” Again, when the interviewer asks “What
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does order mean to you?” Brockmann’s responds humbly “ wishful thinking” then ultimately states that
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it is the “knowledge of the rules that govern legibility.” This statement seems to illustrate the power of
his convictions.

Only in the Eye interview does Müller-Brockmann’s early interest in Carl Jung and Graphology (the study
of hand writing and personality) get addressed and even then only briefly. Brockmann claims he stopped
pursuing Graphology, only to later regret it because it might have been a useful tool in foreseeing a good or
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bad business partnership. The interview does not provide further detail, nor does it divulge whether this
refers to his former partners at MB & Co. Perhaps Brockmann himself did not find Graphology to be an
important part of his life story and therefore it was not included in Lars Müller’s book. Nonetheless, I was
interested so I went to outside sources beyond those written on Brockmann to find that Carl Jung, the
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Swiss psychologist, spoke about synchronicity or meaningful coincidence, which perhaps did influence a

5
Steven Heller and Seymour Chwast. Graphic Style from Victorian to Digital. (New York: Harry N. Abrams,
Inc., 2000), 255.
6
See Heller, 255.
7
See Heller, 196.
8
See Heller, 196.
9
Yvonne Schwemer-Scheddin, “A conversation with Josef Müller-Brockmann” Eye, issue 19 (Winter 1995).
Back Issues, http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature.php?id=51&fid=163.
10
See Schwemer-Scheddin.
11
See Schwemer-Scheddin.
12
See Schwemer-Scheddin.
13
Robert Todd Carroll. "Carl Jung (1875-1961), synchronicity & the collective unconscious," The Skeptic’s
Dictionary, http://skepdic.com/jung.html (accessed October 3, 2004).
young Brockmann. I could not find out how Brockmann became interested in the subject, but perhaps he
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heard Max Pulver, a Swiss professor lecture at the University of Zurich about Graphology.

After Müller-Brockmann’s death in 1996 there were memorials, including one in Idea, a Japanese design
magazine. The article is written by a close friend of Brockmann’s and gives high praise to not only his
work, but to his person. Brockmann had a special affinity for Japan, spending a lot of time there both before
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and after his second marriage to artist Shizuko Yoshikawa. Japan seemed to appreciate his “Zen” aesthetic
even when it fell out of style in the 1960s. The epitaph in Idea describes Brockmann as the “premier
abstract pattern poster artist,” a term not found in any other review. I think this description may say more
about the Japanese appreciation of his work, than the work itself. Idea offers a personal tribute to
Brockmann, showing the parallel between Japanese values and his own. By comparison, this perspective is
more about his philosophy and personal life, than the honorable professional praise he received from Paul
Rand’s introduction in the Lars Müller book. More commonly found are descriptions like those in Graphis
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describing him as “the pioneer of Swiss graphic design.” Western descriptions generally list his
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important contribution to corporate identity such as that for IBM, Olivetti and Rosenthal. In Pioneer of
Swiss Graphic Design, Brockmann’s fondness for Japan is mentioned in relation to his “self-imposed
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constraints and his concentration on essentials.”

During my research I looked at specific differences and commonalities between these articles and books.
Similar themes were discovered regarding the relationship between his life and work, as well as in the
description of Swiss Graphic Design and the critique of his work. Even the design of the Lars Müller book
accurately represents the work and philosophy that Josef Müller-Brockmann lived by. From article to article
the ethical revelations between his personal decisions and career became obvious. As mentioned,
throughout my study there were a few details about Graphology and psychology that I found of interest that
were not fully explored in all sources, but this may be because there was not an obvious correlation to
design. I found particular interest in his early career because I was previously unaware of his illustrative
work. Ultimately, the impact he has had upon my own undergraduate education and professional career is
important, although not surprising.

Josef Müller-Brockmann’s ideas are mostly related to abstract concepts, seen for example in many of his
Zurich Tonhalle Concert posters. Brockmann argued that music is an abstract art, therefore should be
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“interpreted abstractly,” and based strictly upon the established rules of typography and a grid. Lars
Müller looks in depth at these music posters in his book. Beyond his strict belief in design principals,
Brockmann’s convictions also influenced his clients. For example, the designer persuaded Rosenthal China

14
Graphic Insight, "A Background of Handwriting Analysis," Graphic Insight,
http://www.graphicinsight.co.za/background.htm (accessed September 26, 2004).
15
Yusaku Kamekura, “Good-bye Josef Müller-Brockmann” Idea, vol. 45, no. 260 (Jan 1997): 105.
16
“In Memoriam” Graphis, vol. 53, no. 307 (Jan-Feb 1997): 108.
17
See Graphis, 108.
18
See Müller, 35.
19
See Müller, 32.
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to have their factory built by Walter Gropius in the 1960s. In the same respect, he convinced another
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client, Max Weishaunt, to begin a collection of constructive and concrete art.

Throughout my research I found that Brockmann’s work is consistently categorized with reference to Swiss
Graphic Design. Common themes include; his strict use of grids, objective photography and avoidance of
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emotion; as well as Constructivism, rhythm, harmony, mathematical compositions, and “abstract
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geometric elements.” Lars Müller describes the 1955 Beethoven poster as showing “musicality of the
design,” evoking an association between music and the viewer, and alluding to Brockmann’s interest in
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Concrete art. In order to understand his process, Lars Müller provides some early sketches and grid
structures for many of Brockmann’s pieces. The Zurich Tonhalle Concert series posters are described as
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“mature, intense, highly musical posters that seamlessly capture the essence of Zurich concrete painting.”
In Müller-Brockmann’s book Grid Systems in Graphic Design he describes his process of using the grid
and specifically reinforces the purpose and importance of its use and simplicity. Labeling it “constructive
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design,” Brockmann describes the Swiss style as economic and rational.

The ethical context for Josef Müller-Brockmann’s life is mentioned in most all sources. Specifically,
Graphis states that his ethics governed his work from the 1950s on, as he declined work for liquor,
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tobacco, war games, military, real estate and politics. Similarly, Lars Müller speaks in depth about the
moment when Brockmann makes a conscious decision to no longer design for Turmac, a cigarette
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manufacturer, after learning that nicotine causes cancer. Hence, due to the ethical message he was
advocating in the New Graphic Design, Brockmann no longer included “harmful commodities” in his
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professional work. Brockmann claims that the designer should have a sense of responsibility for the
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contributions they make to society. In his own words, he states that professional ethos is work that
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maintains the “intelligible, objective, functional, and aesthetic quality of mathematical thinking.”

As I researched beyond the Lars Müller book I began to discover some interesting facets to Brockmann’s
personality. On one hand he seemed to adhere to such a strict belief system and design process that I
wonder if this sternness and rigidity was reflected in his personality. Several of his partnerships broke off,
including his resignation as Director of the Department of Graphic Design at the Zurich School of Arts and

20
See Müller, 36.
21
See Müller, 35.
22
See Kamekura, 105.
23
See Graphis, 108.
24
See Müller, 32.
25
See Müller, 35.
26
Josef Müller-Brockmann, “Grid and Design Philosophy” in Texts on Type, ed. Steven Heller and Philip B.
Meggs, 198 (New York: Allworth Press, 2001).
27
See Müller-Brockmann, 200.
28
See Graphis, 108.
29
See Müller, 34.
30
See Müller, 35.
31
See Müller-Brockmann, 200.
32
See Müller-Brockmann, 198.
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Crafts in 1960 due to internal conflicts and politics. In addition, the original partners at Brockmann’s
design agency, MB & Co., left the business in 1976 due to conflicting visions, and Brockmann even ended
up running his gallery seestrasse alone. Perhaps a little stubbornness does come through in the Idea article
when his friend mentions how he had to repeatedly persuade him to return to Switzerland to look after his
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declining health. I never found out if he was difficult to work for, but instead the memorial tributes
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described him as “charming and open, always ready to learn.”

It is amazing to see how Brockmann could arrive at a certain belief system and follow it so diligently over
the course of his career, vigorously teaching and writing about it. The evolution of his beliefs and
understanding is very visible throughout his portfolio. The Lars Müller book best shows the transition
from his early illustrative work to the dramatic shift that was “clearly noticeable in the 1951 series of
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posters for the Zurich Tonhalle.” Later, Brockmann arrived at an even stricter typographic approach,
completely removing all other elements, as seen in the 1960 Tonhalle Concert posters. I do not believe a
single approach is the best way to direct my own career but it is fascinating to see how a design philosophy
can be embraced and defined by one designer, evolving over a lifetime and impacting others.

Formally I studied the Lars Müller book design since it is the only complete study published about
Brockmann. The format follows a grid and is set in Akzidenz-Grotesk, rightly so since this was
Brockmann’s font of choice. By following perfect Swiss Design rules, a direct visual correlation is made
between the book and subject matter. As mentioned earlier, there are many spreads that show sketches,
preliminary comps and grid structure along side the final piece. It is especially nice to see pencil sketches
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such as those for the Beethoven Zurich Tonhalle Concert poster series on pages 102-103 and for the de
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Bijenkorf department store logo on pages 180-183. Lars Müller also includes the experimental
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photographs that led up to the final selection for, one of my personal favorites, der Film on page 144-145.
Ultimately, the nicest design element is the inclusion of a red page used as a visual marker signifying a
transition in Brockmann’s career on page 155. This design device boldly divides his earlier work from the
strictly typographic posters for Zurich Tonhalle Concerts in the 1960s, when Brockmann became more
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distrusting of pictorial design. The red page is a smart and bold way to denote this significant milestone
in his design evolution.

By comparing all of the sources, this research process revealed more than information about Brockmann’s
career and impact, it also offered a glimpse at the person. The Japanese memoriam provided a different look
at who Brockmann was than in the western articles. Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design is of course the most

33
See Müller, 33.
34
See Kamekura, 105.
35
See Graphis, 108.
36
See Müller, 26.
37
See Müller, 102-103.
38
See Müller, 180-183.
39
See Müller, 144-145.
40
See Müller, 35.
complete and, I believe, accurate account since Brockmann contributed his patience, trust and use of his
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archives to the process. Overall, I gathered new information about Brockmann's career, philosophy and
influence upon the design profession from all of the articles and books. I found a few items of interest that I
had not known prior to this research, such as his early illustration work for an informational campaign for
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the Zurich Police in 1952, and his gallery seestrasse, which he opened to showcase Concrete art.

Overall, as I look to become a design educator, I am impressed by the important impact this man has had
upon education and how it still applies today. As a former graduate from the Swiss based design program
at Arizona State University, I incorporate Brockmann’s teachings in my own design process. The grid is
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significant as a foundation for training graphic designers and my own undergraduate studies were rooted in
the Swiss International Style philosophy of strictly adhering to the grid, using sans serif type and
asymmetrical compositions. I appreciate the foundation that Josef Müller-Brockmann and Armin Hoffmann
set up for my education and the design profession in general. Now, the challenge for me is to learn to break
away from this tight structure. Professionally, I have found that in our information saturated world, this
approach provides clear organizational methods that are still a viable design style today, over half a decade
after Brockmann and the Swiss Design pioneers first established these principals.

41
See Müller, 264.
42
See Müller, 24.
43
See Müller, 38.
Bibliography

Carroll, Robert Todd. “Carl Jung (1875-1961), synchronicity & the collective unconscious”
The Skeptic’s Dictionary, http://skepdic.com/jung.html.

Graphic Insight, “A Background of Handwriting Analysis” Graphic Insight,

http://www.graphicinsight.co.za/background.htm.

Heller, Steven and Seymour Chwast. Graphic Style from Victorian to Digital. New York:
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000.

“In Memoriam” Graphis, vol. 53, no. 307 (Jan-Feb 1997): 108.

Kamekura, Yusaku. “Good-bye Josef Müller-Brockmann” Idea, vol. 45, no. 260 (Jan 1997): 102-109.

rd
Meggs, Philip B. A History of Graphic Design 3 edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998.

Müller, Lars. Josef Müller-Brockmann Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design. Baden:

Verlag Lars Müller, 1995.

Müller-Brockmann, Josef. “Grid and Design Philosophy” In Texts on Type, edited by Steven Heller
and Philip B. Meggs, 198-200. New York: Allworth Press, 2001.

Müller-Brockmann, Josef. The Graphic Designer and His Design Problems. New York: Hastings House
Publishers, Inc., 1983.

Scotford, Martha. “Is There a Canon of Graphic Design History?” In Design Culture, edited by
Steven Heller and Marie Finamore, 218-227. New York: Allworth Press, 1997.

Schwemer-Scheddin, Yvonne. “A conversation with Josef Müller-Brockmann” Eye, issue 19

(Winter 1995). Back Issues, http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature.php?id=51&fid=163.