Pamflet 1919

This poster titled 'Pamflet' was made by Gemeentebestuur van Amsterdam in 1919. I like to imagine how the maker chose to make this announcement stand out through carefully selected fonts. The words are clearly communicating a set of rules. In particular, it is ‘verboden’ or forbidden, to sell bread made the same day before 11am. But I am also struck by the use of typography as a visual language. The sans serif typeface speaks to me as a kind of modern visual language, in contrast to old-fashioned lettering. The graphic boldness also speaks to the new aesthetics of the period. What other ways could they have communicated this rule? And what is the effect of the high contrast between the black lettering and the background? The artist's decision to make the lettering large and impactful shows that they wanted to grab people’s attention. In doing so, the artist created a kind of ‘painting’ of the moment. All artists, even graphic designers, are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time.