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What is the Bauhaus?
The architect Walter Gropius founded a school in Germany in 1919 to train students in both the theory and practice of the arts. He called it the Bauhaus, which means 'house for building'. It was never an art school in the traditional sense, but in the 14 years of its existence it came to be influential as well as notorious. Gropius gathered some of the most brilliant painters, architects and designers of the period to lead this new type of learning. While students were expected to unlock their creative potential, all courses started with teachings about materials and the characteristics of colours and forms.

When the Nazis closed the Bauhaus in 1933, many of the staff emigrated to the USA into influential positions in art schools and universities. This meant that although Gropius's principal aim - to remove the divides between art, craft and industry - was never really achieved, the Bauhaus theory of good functional design had a defining influence on the rest of the century.

I have to write an essay about the Bauhaus - where shall I start?
Use a range of sources, such as books, videos and the Internet. (See ‘Study Skills’). Think about the different viewpoints that you can read about. Remember to evaluate what you read, don’t just copy it. There may be different subject areas and other countries that you'll need to consider. Bauhaus principles influenced the arts world-wide, particularly architecture, graphics and product design.

What will I find on the Bauhaus in the Fine Art Library?
There is a wide selection of books to borrow on the Bauhaus. Using the library catalogue, decide how you want to search for books. You could do a keyword search for the word ‘Bauhaus’, or you could do an author search. As well as being the person that wrote a particular book, this can also be the person who is the subject of the book, such as an artist or a designer.

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