Binding Cover for “Afrikanische Märchen”, edited by Carl Meinhof, and Eugen Diederichs, Jena 1921

Anny Wottitz, Binding for “Afrikanische Märchen”, edited by Carl Meinhof, Eugen Diederichs, Jena 1921, from the series “Die Märchen der Weltliteratur” (title on the frontispiece), 1922–1923

Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin, Photo: Florian de Brün

Die Abbildung im Hochformat zeigt das Buch schräg platziert auf weißem Grund. Der Buchdeckel ist aus braunem Pflanzenfasergeflecht mit einem schmalen roten Streifen gestaltet, für den Buchrücken wurde dunkle Baumrinde verwendet und halbierte Samenkapseln dienen als Kantenschutz.

Date:
1922–1923

Inventory number:
1758

Object type:
Book binding

Technique / Material:
Various plant materials, cords, threads, glass beads and parts of snail shells; endsheets made of paper (red, purple), flyleaf made of coated paper (black)

Dimensions:
21 x 13 x 3,3 cm

Provenance:
Acquisition from antiquarian art dealer Ben Weinreb, London, 1964

Anni Wottitz radically challenged the tradition of bookbinding with her book covers – much to the chagrin of Otto Dorfner, head of the bookbinding workshop at the Bauhaus Weimar. During her apprenticeship as a bookbinder, Wottitz enjoyed using unusual materials. For the volume “Afrikanische Märchen” (“African fairy tales”) from the series “Die Märchen der Weltliteratur” (“Fairy tales of world literature”), she used various parts of plant: tree bark for the spine, woven plant fibres for the cover, and halved seed pods attached to the corners. Wottitz’s cover designs were related to the content of the books, sometimes compromising their functionality.