The concept Typophoto—the synthesis of photography and typography—was coined by renowned Bauhaus artist and theorist László Moholy-Nagy and played a foundational role in the modernist graphic design movement known as the New Typography. In this book, American curator Jessica D. Brier examines how Typophoto was embraced by early graphic designers, a group who ultimately reinvented photography as a tool of modern consumerism. 

Examining photography, typography, and mass printing in the interwar period, this deeply researched book covers the breadth of the movement, highlighting the ways new print technologies enabled photography to become a central medium for visual culture. Key theorists like László Moholy-Nagy, El Lissitzky, and Jan Tschichold are covered, along with lesser-known artist–designers like Max Burchartz, Johannes Molzahn, and Georg Trump to the forefront, 

Tracing Typophoto from its inception through New Typography’s experiments with the medium, Typophoto demonstrates how photography emerged as a powerful tool for manipulating perception even as it became a visual language for modern life. 

Softcover, 288 pages, 51 b&w and 44 color images, 7 × 9 inches

Published by University of Minnesota Press, 2025

ISBN: 978-1-51-791823-1