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Bauhaus, which translates as ‘building house’ was instigated by German architect Walter Gropius at the Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany. Gropius envisioned a school that would break down traditional barriers between "high" art and functional craft, establishing a new approach where form followed function and aesthetics served practical purposes.
Over the course of 14 years the school was forced to relocate twice before being effectively shut down by the Nazis. Short-lived it may have been, but the Bauhaus became one of the most influential schools of design in the 20th century.
Joost Schmidts exhibition poster from 1923 © Wikimedia Commons
The Origins of the Bauhaus art Movement
Emerging from the devastation of World War I, the timing of the Bauhaus's founding was crucial. Germany has experienced rapid industrialisation and modernisation, and the movement sought to harness these changes to bring art and technology together to create a better, more democratic society.
From the outset of the school, Gropius structured a craft-based curriculum that centered around a compulsory six-month apprenticeship for all students in the study of materials, colour theory, and formal relationships, before they were allowed to advance into more specialised studies of their choice.
The notion that ‘form follows function’ is perhaps the most famous Bauhaus principle, in that the shape of an object should primarily relate to its intended purpose or function.
This preliminary course was initially taught by Swiss painter Johannes Itten, and followed by visual artists including Paul Klee, Vasily Kandinsky, and Josef Albers. Perhaps the most influential of them all was László Moholy-Nagy, who as a painter and photographer brought in a more scientific approach to studies, teaching draughtsmanship and photomontage as well as painting.
Following the initial immersion in Bauhaus theory, students were then free to enter the specialised workshops which primarily centred around metalworking, cabinetmaking, weaving, pottery, typography, and wall painting.
Father of Bauhaus Walter Gropius in 1919 © Wikimedia Commons
As the school developed, Gropius redefined his idea of ‘the unification of the arts through craft’ and in 1923 repositioned the goals of the Bauhaus. Adopting the slogan “Art into Industry”, the school began to focus on the importance of designing for mass production rather than more artisan pieces.
What Were the Core Principles of the Bauhaus Art Movement?
The Bauhaus philosophy for design outlined several key principles that remain foundational to modern design to this day. The notion that ‘form follows function’ is perhaps the most famous Bauhaus principle, in that the shape of an object should primarily relate to its intended purpose or function. To this end, unnecessary ornamentation is rejected in favour of clean, practical design.
Bauhaus designers believed in honestly expressing the nature of materials rather than disguising them. This principle of ‘truth to materials’ looks to explore the inherent properties of materials such as steel, glass and even concrete rather than masking them with decorative elements.
These principles can be seen in the Bauhaus design aesthetic. Geometric shapes, particularly circles, squares, and triangles, dominate, while primary colours – red, yellow, and blue – along with black and white form a restricted colour palette.
Did you know?
The Bauhaus is responsible for the creation of San Serif and Bauhaus fonts.
In 1928, Gropius stepped down as director of the Bauhaus and the architect Hannes Meyer took over.
Bauhaus artists held legendary costume parties, as dsicussed by Farkas Molnar in his 1925 essay, "Life at the Bauhaus."
Similarly in architecture, Bauhaus buildings have a refined aesthetic, favouring flat roofs, smooth facades, and large windows arranged in horizontal bands. The emphasis on open, flowing spaces that blur the distinction between interior and exterior is key to the style.
What are the Most Influential Bauhaus Designs and Artworks?
This sense of form following function and truth to materials can be seen in many of the classic Bauhaus art movement pieces.
Wassily Chair (1925) by Marcel Breuer
Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky sitting in a Wassily Chair. © Wikimedia Commons
This iconic piece of furniture, originally known as the Model B3 chair, was revolutionary for its use of bent tubular steel and canvas. It exemplifies the Bauhaus principles of combining artistic design with industrial materials.
Red Balloon (1922) painting by Paul Klee
Paul Klee, 1922, Red Balloon, oil on chalk-primed gauze, mounted on board, 31.7 x 31.1 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. © Wikimedia Commons
While teaching at the Bauhaus, Klee created this geometric work that features a red circle rising through a structured grid-like composition. It perfectly captures the school's interest in primary colours and simplified forms.
Table Lamp (1924) by Wilhelm Wagenfeld
Often called the Bauhaus Lamp, this elegant piece combines industrial materials such as glass and metal with clean geometric forms. It perfectly embodies the movement's motto of ‘form follows function.’
African Chair (1921) by Marcel Breuer and Gunta Stölzl
This early collaboration between Breuer and textile artist Stölzl combines wooden structure with vibrant woven upholstery, representing the school's initial emphasis on craftsmanship before its shift toward industrial design.
While not as well-known as the above pieces, Bauhaus designs are highly sought after and collectable to this day. Furniture including the Marcel Bruer “Wassily lounge chair” or the Mies Van Der Rohe "MR Chaise Longue" to smaller interior pieces such as Curt Fisher "Midgard Work Lamp" all command attractive prices at auction.
The Evolving Philosophy of the Bauhaus Art Movement
In 1925, the Bauhaus moved from Weimar, relocating the school to Dessau. At this new location Gropius designed a new building in which to house the school. The building contained many of the features that would later become associated with modernist architecture, such as a steel-frame construction, a glass curtain wall, and an asymmetrical, pinwheel plan designed to use space to its maximum efficiency. At the same time, the school moved away from a craft design aesthetic in favour of a more industrial design approach.
The Bauhaus school found that many of the issues that had forced it to move from Weimar soon materialised in Dessau, largely increasing hostility from the local government, as well as a lack of funding. Losing faith in the school's future, and worn down by the constant outside frictions, Walter Gropius stepped down as director of the Bauhaus in 1928.
Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life, necessary for everyone in a civilized society.
He was replaced by Hannes Meyer who continued the school policy of designing for mass production and stressing the need for architecture and design to favour the public good rather than private luxury. Under his leadership advertising and photography also became prominent subjects.
Meyer resigned as director of the Bauhaus in 1930 due to pressure from an increasingly right-wing municipal government. He was replaced by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who naturally increased the focus on architecture within the school.
The rise of the Nazi regime in the early 1930s, which viewed the Bauhaus as degenerate and un-German, created an increasingly unstable political situation in Germany. Combined with the perilous financial status of the Bauhaus, Mies was forced to relocate the school to Berlin in 1930, where it operated on a reduced scale. This move was to be short-lived and in 1933, the Bauhaus closed its doors.
Bauhuas Logotype by Oskar Schlemmer
The closure of the Bauhaus inadvertently spread its reputation and philosophies further afield as many of the key figures of the movement emigrated to the United States, including Breuer and Gropius at Harvard, Josef and Anni Albers at Black Mountain College, and Josef at Yale. In 1937 Moholy-Nagy established the New Bauhaus in Chicago, aiming to continue the principles of the original Bauhaus but adapting them to meet American culture and the industrial context of the city. Mies van der Rohe was commissioned to design the campus and teach at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
The Influence of the Bauhaus Art Movement
The Bauhaus movement represents more than just a historical art movement. Today it can be seen almost everywhere, from the architecture in our cities, to items that fill our homes, shops and workplaces. Its overarching principle of finding solutions that are simple, rational and functional is something still taught to designers, artists and architects to this day.
The movement's educational methods, which emphasised hands-on experimentation and the integration of different artistic disciplines, continue to influence art and design, and even the integration of technology with aesthetics all owe a debt to Bauhaus thinking.
In most recent times, the starkest example of its influence may not be in architecture but in industrial design where the Bauhaus principles of combining aesthetics with practicality have created everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances.
