Johannes Itten

Johannes Itten, ca. 1920

Johannes Itten (1888-1967) was a Swiss expressionist painter, designer, teacher, writer and color theorist associated with the Bauhaus school. He practiced vegetarianism and meditation, and was heavily influenced by Theosophy.

Personal life and education

Johannes Itten was born in Südern-Linden, Switzerland on November 11, 1889. He trained as an elementary school teacher during the years 1904 to 1908. His teaching methods were inspired by Friedrich Fröbel and Ernst Schneider. He studied further at the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva and Bern-Hofwil Teachers' Academy. In 1912, he returned to Geneva, where he studied abstract painting under Eugène Gilliard.

Artistic career

Itten opened a private art school in Vienna, and then went on in 1919 to 1922 to teach at the Bauhaus [Staatliches Bauhaus]. There he associated with Paul Klee, another color theorist interested in Theosophy.

He died on March 25, 1967.

Writings

• Design and form: the basic course at the Bauhaus. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1975. Limited availability at Internet Archive.
• The Art of Color: the subjective experience and objective rationale of color. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1973. Limited availability at Internet Archive.
• The Elements of Color: A Treatise on the Color System of Johannes Itten Based on His Book The Art of Color. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1970. Written with Faber Birren.

Additional resources

Articles

• Johannes Itten in Wikipedia.
• 6 Facts About Johannes Itten, the Famous Bauhaus Teacher by Anastasiia Kirpalov.