Modernism brings together all the movements in art, architecture and design that broke with the styles of the past to invent a language suited to the industrial age. It notably includes the Bauhaus, constructivism, De Stijl and the Swiss Style.
Origin and date
Origin: Europe, then the whole world.
Date: Early 20th century to the 1970s.
Principles
Function takes precedence over ornament, clarity over personal expression. In typography, this translates into sans serifs, asymmetric compositions, grids and the search for a universal form.
Key figures
Jan Tschichold, author of Die neue Typographie in 1928, as well as Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Paul Renner, Josef Müller-Brockmann and Massimo Vignelli.
Associated typefaces
Futura, Akzidenz-Grotesk, Helvetica and Univers.
Legacy
Modernism remains the foundation of design education. Phrases such as "Form follows function" and "Less is more" are still references for graphic designers.