Piet Zwart was a Dutch designer, photographer, and typographer and was heavily influenced by Russian Constructivism and the Dutch De Stijl movement. After studying at the School of Applied Arts, Amsterdam he worked as a graphic designer.
From 1923, Zwart produced advertising materials for the cable manufacturer NKF and later for the Dutch Post Office (PTT), developing a typographic language that used diagonal composition, asymmetric layouts, contrasting type sizes, and photomontage in ways that were radical by the standards of the period. Zwart also designed the Film series of publications in the early 1930s, combining avant-garde typography with photographic imagery in support of the Dutch film culture movement.
Explore related designers including Paul Schuitema and Jan Tschichold. See also De Stijl, Dutch Modernism, and Dutch graphic design history.
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From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
![Piet Zwart het boek van PTT [Facsimile in offsett], Staatsuitgeverij: Den Haag, 1985](https://designreviewed.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Piet-Zwart-het-boek-van-PTT-Facsimile-in-offsett-Staatsuitgeverij-Den-Haag-1985-1.webp "Piet Zwart het boek van PTT [Facsimile in offsett], Staatsuitgeverij: Den Haag, 1985 3")
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
From the graphic design archive:
Design Archive Feature, Designer Profiles, Ephemera, Members Only Content
Beyond his books, Dick Bruna's vivid colour and simplified forms found their way onto posters, packaging, murals and stamps, many of which feature in my growing collection.
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Members Only Content, Design Archive Feature, Designer Profiles
An article on Valentin Zietara , originally in German, published in Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1930, written by H K Frenzel translated by E. T. Scheffauer
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Members Only Content, Designer Profiles, Studios & Collectives
A 1903-1904 article on Die Steglitzer Werkstatt, originally in German, published in Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, Vol. XIII, October 1903–March 1904.
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