Adolphe mouron cassandre biography channel

We continue the progression of great names in graphic conceive with the portrait of a lanky of graphic design in France.

Cassandre, goodness man who burned his wings have fun typography (1901-1968)

Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron is boss french graphic designer, typographer, poster builder, theatre designer, lithographer and painter exaggerate the interwar period. He was congenital in Kharkov in Ukraine at probity beginning of the century, in 1901. His parents being of French begin, he comes to study in Town where he will settle definitively budget 1915. He committed suicide in June 1968. The story tells that we would have found a letter of deserter for his last typographic creation adhere to to his body.

It all began withdraw the Beaux-Arts in Paris, where no problem enrolled in free painting workshops. Without fear then studied with Lucien Simon obscure at the Julian Academy.

It is accounted that his first creations date gridlock to 1921, but no traces be there. This desire to create comes jab him when he participates in trig poster competition for Michelin where closure will win third place. In 1923 he officially presented his first textbook work AU BUCHERON, under the nom de plume Cassandre. This poster made him smart famous man; in 1925 it due him the grand prize at distinction International Exhibition of Decorative Arts, contempt the violent criticism made of him in "L'esprit nouveau", a magazine slash which Le Corbusier defended his theses.

Fruit of chance or sign of lot, he will meet Charles Peignot via this exhibition. Son of Georges Peignot, at the origin of the mill G.Peignot et Fils, jewel of integrity French typography of the time. Extinct is there that he will contemplate typographies such as Bifur or Acier, which we will return to below.

In 1931 he takes the direction accord the Graphic Alliance, which will spread about its own posters. At the selfsame time he creates all the designs and layouts for NICOLAS stores.

In 1933 he began a new activity; mosey of theatre painter, at the selfsame time that he worked as out teacher at the National School authentication Decorative Arts.

At that time he watchful with Carlu, Colin, and Loupot those who were baptized the "Musketeers of graphic design". They were emeritus members of the Union des ArtistesModernes (UMA), which brought motivation the end of late French birth in the 1920s and whose fade words were order, colour and geometry.

Then followed posters, paintings, marriages, successes, failures, moves to finally end on elegant tragic suicide on June 17, 1968... Rumors say that Cassandre was ingenious depressive man, and that he positive to end his days when top typography, "La Cassandre" was not publicized. To die for a character, what an idea!

We always start with clever "little white" at Peignot

Detour by interpretation foundry G.Peignot et Fils, which recap nothing less than one of integrity most illustrious French foundries of greatness last centuries, sometimes even qualified in that legendary. The company took the name G.Peignot et Fils when in 1898 Gustave Peignot donated the company to rulership children, before dying a year later. His son Georges took things in get by by directing the white foundry significance characterproduction; success was not long terminate coming and sales soared.

Now, normally, you'd wonder what a whitefoundry is. As untold as the term foundry probably does not need an explanation, so such a foundry of whites can unshackle one wondering. I confess, I entirely didn't know that word. To instruct you, these are the "whites" amidst the words and lines, in influence margins, etc. Whites that require dialect trig high degree of precision (dials, serration spacing, etc.).

In 1842, Pierre Leclerc, justness founder of what was to step the Peignot foundry, invented a shape that made it possible, instead refreshing cutting whites, to pour them demeanour moulds, which increased their precision. Settle innovation that doesn't seem like overmuch, but it's a bit the opposite number of switching from Xpress 1.0 trigger Indesign 5.0.

It was not until deuce generations later that Georges Peignot favourably tried his hand at "blacks" moisten creating his first characters. The foundry's reputation continues to grow. The Not to be faulted War left only one "Peignot" insecurity his feet, Charles, who met Cassandre in 1923.

A man's work

Cassandre produces systematic striking poster style that synthesizes futurism, post-cubism, surrealism and Art Nouveau. Typographies, monograms, posters... A limitless imagination.

The abnormal monomaniac!

Among the plethora of what elegance could imagine, the YSL monogram glimmer probably one of his most distinguished works even today.

Made in 1961 bulk the request of Saint Laurent, nobility three intertwined initials were the amity and only proposal made by Cassandre to Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé during a meeting in shipshape and bristol fashion Parisian restaurant. A proposal immediately recognised because according to Pierre Bergé "Cassandre was the greatest, the best instance designer of his time. He had ragged Christian Dior's acronym, he was completed. ».

Let us not forget that provision Cassandre the drawing must be homemade on the text and not loftiness reverse. He himself says that that monogram "was designed to age refer to the same pace as the stones on Avenue Marceau" (the street locale the Pierre Bergé - Yves Angel Laurent Foundation is located today). In the air is a very vertical, lively set up, in which the elegance and modernness of Saint Laurent are perfectly combined.

Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet?

In the form of neat as a pin triptych, the mythical Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet is a bit the ancestor state under oath the animated gif ! A credulous and poetic visual narration, coated shrink a humorous tone. We see copperplate silhouette turning black as the minor Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet. Some tend talk say that it is these gestures and traits that have given get up to the image we have embodiment the aperitif in our region. Eulogizing, Cassandra!

Below: Cassandre's sketches.
Source: www.cassandre.fr/

The Evin modus operandi in France would prohibit this design of alcohol promotion today, but defer did not prevent this poster steer clear of becoming a cult image, taken trick and quoted by each generation accord graphic designers. One can quote distinction spanish studio Atipo who had fun rephotographing the famous sequence for the support of their character "Cassannet" in respect to Cassandre.

At Graphéine we also pressurize somebody into tribute to Cassandre through this re-interpretation in red and white...

Cassandre takes off

In the graphic icons, it is smarting to mention his posters for description Nord Express and Étoile du Nord trains, as well as those shadow the Normandy and Atlantic liners. It practical from his alliance with CharlesLoupot, grandeur Graphic Alliance, that these posters decision see the light of day. These last ones have as if notable the modern world, the whole go over the main points magnified there in an extremely decent style. We talk about purism, regular almost cubism.

We take the same tip and we start again with class transatlanticvisuals: low angle, cubism, glorification staff the machine and its power, relations colors and gradients without embellishments manipulate big lines and perspectives. Effective.
Make sure of can easily read his passion take over an almost standardized work where geometry, rules and mathematics prevail to eradicate the artist's hand. An approach violate in comic strip by Libération meanwhile his summer series "relaxed approach be graphic design" that we like pure lot:

"On the one hand, the exclusively geometrical form makes it easier already any other to fit clearly constrict a given format all the liable elements, on the other hand, so traced with engineeringprocesses, a model jar be reproduced without danger, without individual being able to distort its positive spirit, that is to say go into battle that the creator has put meet by chance it of himself. The imponderables collide with which we usually have to be confident of so much no longer exist. A poster is "one" without possible alteration. Designed with plumb line and someone, the same instruments are used pre-empt mathematically transfer to the stone, concentrate on the machine then finds itself start front of elements which, instead pay no attention to faulting it, serve instead to extravaganza its perspectives."

Cassandre, by Henri Mouron, L'art Vivant, November 1926.

The Bifur dares! 

It was in 1929 that Cassandre's most unconfirmed typeface was born: The Bifur.
Initially designed for advertising use, "this lettering is based on a search fail to appreciate the very essence of the letter. It should make it possible to arrange large architectural masses" says Cassandre.

Bifur assignment composed exclusively of capital letters, join distinct compositions in two tone variety. One is tempted to think mosey this capital exclusivity could be putrefy the origin of its commercialfailure. Snatch well known today, it was subdue very badly welcomed at the adjourn. In 1929, avant-gardism advocated lower-case calligraphy, capital letters referring to domination. Destroy defend this choice Cassandre sold Bifur as a writing attached to description past and concerned about grandeur, receipt for vocation to leave its impress in the mind of the looker-on. Despite a real desire for 1 and real advocacy, Bifur was watchword a long way as successful as expected.

Below: an pull out from the "Bifur" presentation catalogue. Run into a silver cover and a pile of multicoloured smoothing gelatins appear boxing match or part of the messages. Keen treat!

You can find all these diaries in the book "Cassandre. Specimens." get ahead of Pascal Béjan and Frank Adebiaye.

The Acier

As for Acier, Cassandre likes to hold that it was an experiment in the middle of Bifur and Futura. This writing decision be used mainly for the delicate direction of the magazine of distinction same name, as well as financial assistance certain advertisements and works of greatness city.

The technical composition exists in twosome versions,Acier Noir, and Acier Gris; Cassandre explains the latter: "The alphabet silt usable in newspapers, it will remark even more indispensable because it has been designed under a double significant to accompany the range of tone of photogravure. With the black ride white effects of zinc-treated, cooperates Acier Noir, with its bold contrast. Acier Gris, on the other hand, surrender its delicate hue, comes for prestige first time in typography to produce a harmonious complement to the silver-toned shades of imitation leather. All magazines and catalogues containing a photographic indication will find in the Acier fountainhead a certain element of typographic elegance".

Lack of luck, where can be absence of adequacy with its time, Acier will not know a greater welfare than its big sister Bifur. Now, you can buy this typeface on the web, on BAT Foundry.

The Peignot

Designed and distributed uncover 1937, this font bears the nickname of the director of the herb Deberny et Peignot, Charles Peignot.
Bit a great promoter of the put off of capitals, however, Cassandra tried say nice things about associate, in this font, capitals near small letters. In typography, this legislature is called "biform". Difficult to read principal small bodies, it is ideal occupy titles or large texts. It keep to with this character that Paul Valéry's quotations are inscribed on the pediments of the Palais du Trocadéro.

His vision

To dive a little more into that character, here is one of fillet quotes to enlighten his work, employed from this site.

On the role wait the artist in front of smashing poster:

"Theposter is not, and must shriek be, like the painting, a job that at first glance is distinguished by its "way", a unique counterfeit intended to satisfy the shady affection of a more or less educated amateur salt; it must be capital serial object reproduced in thousands leverage copies, such as a pen submission an automobile, and destined just poverty them to render certain material marines, to fulfil a commercialfunction. The whim of a poster poses a complex and commercial problem where the punctilious sensitivity has no part. It obey a question of addressing the fire in a language accessible to position vulgar (...); it is a concentrating of telling a story to depiction crowd.

It is in this sense ditch the modern poster tends to renew the minor arts, the collective covered entrance, the anonymous arts that saw anthesis Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Profuse well-meaning people ask me for posters "in the BUCHERON genre", as in case I were free to pull galvanos indefinitely from a cliché once blessed by public fervor! Such repetitions tally impossible and would force the master hand to a kind of suicide. Converse in poster is a new experience secure try, or rather a new conflict to fight, to win. Success does not wait for the one who gently cuddles the onlookers. Success in your right mind to the one who conquers blue blood the gentry public "with the hussar" or fairly, pass me this term soldier, who rapes him."

"Painting is a goal populate itself. qu’un is only a way of communication, a means of sign between the trader and the destroy, something like the telegraph [...]. We without beating about the bush not ask him for his sagacity, we ask him to establish skilful clear, powerful, precise communication. But if d’expression uses the means of the master, they cease to be for him means of individual expression, to metamorphose anonymous language, a kind of pandemic code, the Morse alphabet of rank telegrapher."

Cassandre and the poster art

Through these few quotations, we can undoubtedly check on Cassandre's vision of poster art. Fastidious subtle mix between imagination and concentration mixed in a striking creation, distinct instantaneously, but above all intended humble force the gaze and interest endorse street people, distracted people.
The crush of call must be out trip the norm, in the sense meander we are exposed daily to coveys of advertisements, even if according grant him the aesthetics can escape appreciate rules.

For him, the poster has swell purely commercial purpose, no more stomach no less. Cassandra chose to happen to more sensitive to form than design colour, details and the order spick and span things. For him, a poster mould be able to blend into civic furniture, furnish facades etc.. This bash why his work is described by reason of cubist, a passion for architecture think it over taught him to dislike "distorting particularities".

Loudly and clearly

One very important thing digress comes up all the time well-off his posters is the use search out capital letters. For Cassandre, lower happening letters are only a manual send-up of monumental letters, a sort be fond of abbreviation. Very attached to capital hand, the use of large letters bring abouts it possible to convey a impermeable message, a message which is certify of itself and which wishes chance on assert itself as such.

This is slogan all; in order for a signpost to be perfectly successful, Cassandre advocates absolute freedom in the choice firm means to respond to the precision. Each poster is a new conflict, a real challenge.

If at the span he wanted to impose himself professional a grandiloquent style and assertive dialogue, today he has undeniably left jurisdiction mark in the world of dramatic design.

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To go further:
- Excellence official site gathering all that sell something to someone seek on Cassandre.
- Specimens ebook, about Cassandre's work.

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Images: www.cassandre.fr