Otto Treumann

Graphic Design in Netherlands

Otto Treumann (1919-2001) is a major pioneer in the modernization of graphic design in the Netherlands. Inspired by Swiss typography and Bauhaus aesthetics, Treumann's oeuvre combines easy-to-read visual elements with iconoclastic color treatment, enhanced by his wide knowledge of printing techniques acquired during the Second World War when he forged documents for the resistance. Treumann enjoyed a special relationship with industrial clients, devising house styles and logos for the publishing house Wolters Noordhoff, the Kröller-Müller Museum, the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects and El Al Airlines; he also designed posters for the Industries Fair in Utrecht, the Rotterdam Ahoy and Tattoo in Delft. Based on materials from the Otto Treumann Archive at the Stedelijk Museum, and designed by Irma Boom, this volume surveys Treumann's career.