Max Huber

Max Huber (1919-92) was one of the most significant graphic designers of the twentieth century. In this comprehensive monograph, the first to be published on this major figure, the authors trace and illustrate Huber's entire career, from his early years in Switzerland to his more mature work in Italy.

Huber's style assimilated the teachings of the early modern masters, such as Max Bill and László Moholy-Nagy, combining their principles with the enormous variety of cultural influences present in vibrant post-war Milan. This fully illustrated survey of his work demonstrates that Huber was among the first to apply the aesthetics of the avant garde to a corporate and commercial environment, creating formal solutions that he would go on to use throughout his life. Among the 450 illustrations in this book (the majority of which have never been published before) are examples of his celebrated posters for the Monza races, his jazz record covers and his books for major Italian publishers, which remain appreciated today as superb examples of their genres.

Some of Huber's most enduring achievements remain in the collective memory of generations and can still be seen on the streets of Italy: his logo design for the department store La Rinascente and the supermarket chain Esselunga were so influential as to change the public's perception of these two popular stores and, moreover, the visual landscape of Milan itself.

The three expert authors of this book (Stanislaus von Moos, Mara Campana and Giampiero Bosoni) were privileged to have the full support of Huber's widow, Aoi Kono, who granted them unrestricted access to the renowned archive of Huber's work that is now housed in the m.a.x.Museo in Chiasso, Switzerland. This wideranging and exhaustively researched book demonstrates the importance of this fascinating and influential figure in the history of modern graphic design.