Der Berufsphotograph, Sein Werkzeug-Seine Arbeiten
Jan Tschichold
Swiss, born Germany. 1902–1974
1938
A 1938 photolithograph poster by Jan Tschichold that advertises a Basel exhibition for professional photographers by pairing a striking, altered photographic portrait with clear, modern typography to present photography as a technical, modern craft.
You’re first pulled to the eerie, high‑contrast negative portrait on the right—its lit‑from‑within quality feels almost x‑ray-like—which sits against a broad white field pierced by a multicolored, sans‑serif headline that slices across the composition with calm precision.
A manifesto of the New Typography, this work unites photography and type through asymmetry, clarity, and color, helping to shape the visual rules that evolved into the mid‑century Swiss International Typographic Style.
Medium
Photolithograph
Dimensions
25 1/4 × 35 3/4" (64.1 × 90.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the artist
Accession
290.1938
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
