In 1919, in the German city of Weimar, the architect Walter Gropius founded a new kind of school. It was called the Bauhaus. He merged two existing art academies with a radical mission: to erase the line between the fine artist and the practical craftsman. Gropius published a manifesto declaring that 'the ultimate goal of all creative activity is the building.' To illustrate this vision, the manifesto featured a stark woodcut by artist Lyonel Feininger titled 'Cathedral'. It showed a crystalline church radiating light, a symbol of a 'total work of art' built by painters, sculptors, and artisans working together as one. With Germany's industry crippled after the war, this return to collaborative, hands-on craft was not just an idea; it was a necessity.
The Bauhaus Movement
The story of the Bauhaus, the German design school founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, from Weimar and Dessau to its closure under the Nazis and its teachers' move to America.
The Cathedral of the Future
Part of
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Bauhaus?
The Bauhaus was a German art school founded by architect Walter Gropius in 1919. Its core mission was to eliminate the distinction between artists and artisans, uniting fine arts and practical crafts to create a 'total work of art' applied to modern life.
Why was the Bauhaus so influential?
The Bauhaus revolutionized design education with its 'preliminary course' that focused on materials and creativity. Its shift to industrial design created prototypes for mass-produced furniture and housing, and its iconic modernist architecture is still influential today.
Why did the Bauhaus close down?
The school faced constant political pressure from right-wing groups who viewed its international, modernist ethos as un-German. After moving from Weimar to Dessau and then Berlin, the school was finally forced to dissolve in 1933 under pressure from the Nazi government.
Learn more
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Or get it straight away:
Download on iOS
Download on Android