Max Hertwig

Biography

Lettering, type designs, book designs, bookbindings, trademarks. Born 11 March 1881 in Bunzlau. 1902-6: studied at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art: a teacher was Peter Behrens. 1906-14: worked for the printer Bügen and Bügen. Designed symbols and ornaments for the typefoundries Gebr. Klingspor, and Ludwig & Mayer. From 1914: taught at the Reimann School, a private art school in Berlin. 1925: designed bookbindings for Berlin publishers and covers for Die Kunst Schule. By 1929: designed covers for the journal Farbe und Form. 1933: designed range of certificates for the Reichsbundes für Leibesübungen (National Sports Federation). 1943: evacuated Berlin with his family because of the bombing; retired as a painter to Bavaria. Died c1962. (Max Hartwig, 1873-1939, was a painter and sculptor.)

Writings by

  • Gebrauchsgraphische Schwarzweisskunst, Düsseldorf: Schmincke, 1929; ‘Farbenboykott/Ein Deutscher Reklame-Unsinn’, Gg, 1929, v. 2, pp. 74-6.

Writings about

  • Heinrich Werner, ‘Künstlerische Packungen und Etiketten’ (packaging, labels), AfB, Nov./Dec. 1911, pp. 347-56
  • Richard Braungart, ‘Vereinsdrucksachen’, Das Plakat, April 1921, pp. 229-37
  • Walter F. Schubert, ‘Urkundengraphik’ (certificates), Das Plakat, May 1921, pp. 273-88
  • work shown, Gg, Jhrg. 1 (1924-5), v. 7, pp. 86-7
  • bookcovers shown, Gg, 1925, v. 11, pp. 26-31
  • Traugott Schalcher, ‘Max Hertwig’, Gg, 1929, v. 5, pp. 21-34
  • note on MH’s Gebrauchsgraphische Schwarzweisskunst, in Gg, 1929, v. 8, p. 77
  • ‘Max Hertwig’, Gg, Feb. 1933, pp. 58-9 (certificates)
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘Certificates for the German Reich Federation for Physical Exercises’, Gg, Feb. 1938, pp. 53-9
  • list of MH’s exlibris clients (1919-38), Exlibris, 1939, p. 32
  • Vollmer, 1955
  • novum, Jan. 1979, pp. 32, 35 (1933 certificates)
  • C. Arthur Croyle, ‘The calligraphy of Max Hertwig’, Calligraphy Review, v. 6, no. 1, 1988, pp. 40-47
  • DMK, 1997 (see ‘Akzidenzdruck’ index, ‘Buchgewerbe’ index).