Taschen, the publisher of superb art, design and photographic books
(including the Taschen's
London, Taschen's New York, Taschen's Berlin
and Taschen's Paris books - ooh la la!), has just
published the two volume set
Type: A Visual History of Typefaces. Now, the thing
about a Taschen book that you must remember, is that if it says
it's about something (ie. Paris) then it will be rigorous and
comprehensive and illustrated and gorgeous. And so, it is with
Type: A Visual History of Typefaces, which takes, from
a Dutch collection, the most beautiful and remarkable examples of
font catalogs throughout the history of 'publishing' to illustrate
the technological history of writing. The evolution of the printed
character, in all its various incarnations, (including examples
from lithography, inscription carvers, and calligraphy), becomes a
beautifully reproduced visual feast and features works by type
designers including, William Caslon, Fritz Helmuth Ehmcke, Peter
Behrens, Rudolf Koch, Eric Gill and Jan van Krimpen. These two
volumes reveal the intricately designed history of the known world,
social, economic and technological changes, are writ large in many,
many astounding and daringly crafted fonts and typefaces.
The other pictorial history I have been coveting is VU: The Story of a Magazine that Changed an Era. VU magazine began in 1928 in France and was at the front of the pack selling news and events with "photographic reportage". The magazine provided a weekly journal of images, similar to cinema news reels, but with the emphasis on photography as an informational medium and with VU's editors saying, "text explains, but photos provide proof". Photographers such as Man Ray, Kertész, Krull, Lotar and Brassaï, took on VU's brief - to 'prove' to its readers the truth of the world - wholeheartedly and artistically - with incredible issues covering Soviet Russia (1931), 'L'énigme allemande' on Germany (1932), 'Fin d'une civilisation' on technology (1933), 'Interrogatoire de la Chine' on China (1934) and 'VU en Espagne' on Spain (1936). VU was an extraordinary publication and this book is a sumptuous historical record of twentieth century history and a must have for anyone interested in reportage and/or photography. And, yes, the photo above is a Man Ray photo from the cover of VU, July, 1930, titled The Tragic Necklace - I love it.
