In 1923, Joost Schmidt designed the iconic exhibition poster for the State Bauhaus Show in Weimar, a lithographic print measuring 66.7 x 47.3 cm, printed by von Reineck & Klein, which today belongs to the collection of MoMA New York (gift of Walter Gropius). Schmidt taught lettering and typography at the Bauhaus from 1925 to 1932 and headed the sculpture workshop between 1928 and 1930. His 1923 poster is considered an early key document of Constructivism in design education: it demonstrates how the Bauhaus consistently brought together formal rigour, geometric surfaces, and clear typography. Anyone who wants to understand the origins of the DNA of modern graphic design cannot overlook this work.
Joost Schmidt and the Bauhaus Exhibition Graphics of 1923: When Typography Becomes a Science
Key Fact: In 1923, Joost Schmidt designed what is arguably the most famous poster in Bauhaus history. The lithographic print, produced by von Reineck & Klein in Weimar and now held at MoMA in New York, measures exactly 66.7 x 47.3 cm and is regarded as a key document of typographic Constructivism.
Who Was Joost Schmidt?
Joost Schmidt was born on 5 January 1893 in Wunstorf and died on 2 December 1948 in Nuremberg. He initially studied art at the Grand Ducal Saxon School of Art in Weimar before transferring to the Bauhaus as a student in 1919. He worked there until 1925, first in the wood sculpture workshop, with Johannes Itten and Oskar Schlemmer as his early mentors.
From 1925 onwards, Schmidt taught lettering design at the Bauhaus. From 1928 to 1930 he led the sculpture workshop, after which he took over the direction of the department for advertising, calligraphy, printing, and graphic design. He later became a professor at the University of the Arts in Berlin.
The 1923 Poster: Geometry as Statement
Schmidt’s poster for the Bauhaus exhibition in Weimar in 1923 demonstrates how the Bauhaus systematically united lettering and image. Diagonal lines, clear block letters, and geometric surfaces form a visual structure that carries both information and formal language simultaneously. This is no coincidence, but method: Constructivism regarded design as disciplined problem-solving, not free decoration.
The original is a lithographic print. Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, donated it to MoMA, where it remains part of the collection to this day.
4 Things You Can Take Away from Schmidt’s Approach
1. Geometry Beats Ornament
Schmidt worked with simple forms, clear axes, and contrast. For your home, this means: a good Bauhaus poster doesn’t need an overcrowded wall around it. It works on its own. Our Bauhaus Exhibition Poster embodies exactly this logic.
2. Typography Is Architecture
At the Bauhaus, lettering was treated as a constructive element, not decoration. Those looking for wall art with a similar mindset will find the Bauhaus Advertising Poster Art School or the Bauhaus Sun Poster — motifs that build on this formal language.
3. Format Is Part of the Message
The original 1923 poster has a clearly defined portrait format (66.7 x 47.3 cm). Schmidt treated the proportions as a design decision, not an afterthought. The same applies to a Bauhaus Hexagon Picture: the unusual wall shape is half the statement.
4. Pedagogy Is Embedded in the Product
Schmidt taught at the Bauhaus for many years because he believed that good design can be learned. A Decorative Cushion in Bauhaus Style or a Kandinsky Mouse Pad are not copies, but entry points into a design history you can touch.
Keep Exploring
Anyone who wants to dive deeper into the world of historic exhibition graphics is best served by browsing the Poster Shop or exploring the entire Collection. Kandinsky, Klimt, Schiele, and many other artists from the early 20th century are represented there.
Sources
- Joost Schmidt – Wikipedia
- Joost Schmidt, Poster for the Bauhaus Exhibition – Bauhaus Movement on Facebook
- Joost Schmidt. Staatliches Bauhaus Ausstellung. 1923 – MoMA
FAQ
Who was Joost Schmidt and why is he relevant to design history?
Joost Schmidt was born on 5 January 1893 in Wunstorf and died on 2 December 1948 in Nuremberg. He was a typographer, teacher, and master at the Bauhaus, and later a professor at the University of the Arts in Berlin. He is best known for the exhibition poster for the Bauhaus Show of 1923 in Weimar, which to this day is regarded as an icon of Constructivist graphic design.
What was the course of Joost Schmidt's training at the Bauhaus?
Schmidt first studied at the Grand Ducal Saxon School of Art in Weimar before enrolling at the Bauhaus from 1919 to 1925. He began there with sculpture training under Johannes Itten and Oskar Schlemmer, working in the wood sculpture workshop. Over time he increasingly specialised in applied graphics, which ultimately culminated in the famous exhibition poster of 1923.
What makes the 1923 Bauhaus exhibition poster so special?
The poster was printed as a lithograph, measures 66.7 x 47.3 cm, and was produced by the printing house von Reineck & Klein in Weimar. It combines geometric rigour with dynamic typography — precisely what defined the Constructivist spirit of the Bauhaus. The original is now held at MoMA in New York, where it arrived as a personal gift from Walter Gropius.
What teaching and leadership roles did Schmidt take on at the Bauhaus after 1925?
From 1925 onwards, Joost Schmidt taught lettering and lettering design at the school. From 1928 to 1930 he led the sculpture workshop. In addition, he headed the department for advertising, calligraphy, printing, and graphic design. His work as an educator thus shaped an entire generation of designers who carried Constructivist principles into the everyday practice of applied graphics.
Where can Joost Schmidt's work still be seen in the original today?
The most famous work — the lithographic poster for the State Bauhaus Exhibition of 1923 — is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. It entered the collection as a gift from Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius and is documented there among the collection of graphic works. For anyone wishing to encounter Schmidt on a journey through design history, New York makes an excellent first stop.