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Graphic Design History from Design Reviewed
Arlette BrouwersTotal DesignWim Crouwel

Willam de Kooning, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1983

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Details

  • Format Exhibition Catalogue
  • Designer/s Wim Crouwel and Arlette Brouwers (Total Design)
  • Year 1983
  • Client/Publisher Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
  • Size 210mm x 275mm
Wim Crouwel and Arlette Brouwers (Total Design)
Arlette Brouwers is a Dutch graphic designer active in the mid-to-late twentieth century. Her work reflects the strong typographic and visual communication tradition of Dutch postwar design, and she was among the designers who contributed to the distinctive character of Dutch graphic design culture in the 1960s and 70s. Explore related designers including Josje Pollmann and Wim Crouwel. See also Dutch Modernism, Dutch graphic design history, and 1960s graphic design history.

Total Design was founded in Amsterdam in 1963 by Wim Crouwel, Friso Kramer, Benno Wissing, and Paul and Dick Schwarz and was the first large-scale multidisciplinary design consultancy in the Netherlands. Under Crouwel's creative direction the studio developed a rigorous systematic approach rooted in grid systems and neutral typography. Its long-running relationship with the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam produced catalogues, posters, and exhibition graphics that remain among the most influential bodies of institutional design in postwar Europe. Other major clients included the Dutch Post Office and Schiphol airport. The practice continues today as Total Identity. Explore designers associated with Total Design including Wim Crouwel, Jurriaan Schrofer, and Benno Wissing. See also Dutch Modernism, Dutch graphic design history, and 1960s graphic design history.
Willem Hendrik Crouwel was born in 1928 in Groningen, Netherlands. He studied at the Academy of Arts and Crafts in Groningen and took evening classes at the Institute of Arts and Crafts, now the Rietveld Academy. His teacher, Charles Jongejans, was trained by notable Dutch designers Paul Schuitema and Gerard Kiljan. In 1952, Crouwel began his design career at Enderberg, designing exhibitions and trade stands, gaining valuable experience. After leaving Enderberg in 1956, he founded a studio with industrial designer Kho Liang Ie, working on various projects across design disciplines, including graphic and exhibition design. Influenced by mid-century Swiss typography, Crouwel explored letterforms and graphic systems, using fonts like Helvetica and Univers. His early clients included the Van Abbe Museum, where he designed catalogues and posters. In 1963, he co-founded the influential design agency Total Design and also started working for the Stedelijk Museum, collaborating with Edy de Wilde until 1986. Explore the Design Reviewed archive to discover artefacts connected to Wim Crouwel. The Dutch Modernism movement collection showcases the visual culture he helped define, while the Netherlands archive reflects the broader design scene he worked within. Browse the 1960s and 1970s decade pages to see the period in which his most influential work was produced, or explore the poster format collection to find work that shares his commitment to grid-based typographic clarity.

Linked Information

Willam de Kooning, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1983 designed by Wim Crouwel and Arlette Brouwers (Total Design)
Willam de Kooning, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1983 designed by Wim Crouwel and Arlette Brouwers (Total Design)
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