Pioneers of Modern Typography

Modern typography does not have its origins in the conventional printing industry, instead, its roots are entwined with those of 20th-century painting, poetry and architecture. This text examines what led up to the new concepts in graphic design and carefully disentangles the various influences.

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'Among all the publications about typography produced in the last few decades, Pioneers of Modern Typography can lay claim to being one of the most vital and influential.' Rick Poynor

Modern typography does not have its origins in the conventional printing industry. Its roots are entwined with those of twentieth-century painting, poetry and architecture, and it flowered quite suddenly and dramatically in the twenty years following the publication of Marinetti's Futurist manifesto in 1909. Since its first publication in 1969, and subsequent reissue in a completely revised edition, Pioneers of Modern Typography has remained the standard guide to the impact of 20th-century avant-garde movements on graphic design and typography. It is re-published now with a new Foreword by Rick Poynor in celebration of its author, the late Herbert Spencer, who was Professor of Graphic Arts at the Royal College of Art.

Herbert Spencer's text examines what led up to the new concepts in graphic design and carefully disentangles the respective influences of Futurism, Dadaism, de Stijl, Suprematism, Constructivism and the Bauhaus. His text is profusely illustrated with examples of crucial contributions to the new typography - from Apollinaire to Zwart - and the book's documentation includes biographical notes on the key figures.