The Bauhaus chess set by Josef Hartwig is one of the masterpieces of the Bauhaus style and has lost none of its fascination to this day. The idea behind the game is as simple as it is ingenious: Hartwig reduced the chess pieces to their elementary geometric shapes and dispensed with any ornamentation. This resulted in pieces that were not only functional, but also had an unmistakable aesthetic.
Josef Hartwig was not only a master of the Bauhaus style, but also a man with clear ideas about what design should achieve. For him, design was not an end in itself, but a way to improve the world. With the Bauhaus chess set, he wanted not only to create a new, modern game, but also to make a political statement.
By demilitarizing the chess pieces, Hartwig wanted to make a statement against war and advocate for peace. His idea was that a game based on violence and conquest could also be designed peacefully. By reducing the game to its basic geometric forms and using clean lines and surfaces, Hartwig created an aesthetic that is timeless and modern.
The Bauhaus chess set by Josef Hartwig shows that design doesn't just have to be beautiful, but can also have a deeper meaning. It is a masterpiece of Bauhaus philosophy that still provides inspiration for designers and artists today.
Discover the Bauhaus Chess: shop.bauhaus-movement.com/bau...
9 май 2023
