Considered the most influential art school of the 20th century, the Bauhaus lasted merely 14 years, from 1919 to 1933. Its story evolved in three acts—Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin—and was shaped by four directors, all celebrated architects: one Belgian, Henry van de Velde; one Swiss, Hannes Meyer; and two Germans, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Art historian Erich Keel traces the pressures that led to the formation of the Bauhaus, the changing aesthetic philosophies that guided the teaching of subjects as varied as architecture, weaving, and typography, and finally the inevitable exposure to political headwinds that questioned not only the existence of a progressive art school, but the very idea of a liberal republic following the defeat of Germany in World War I.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
General Information
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
