Max Bill was born in Winterthur, Switzerland. After an apprenticeship as a silversmith during 1924–27, he took up studies at the Bauhaus in Dessau under many teachers including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Oskar Schlemmer from 1927 to 1929, after which he moved to Zurich.
After working on graphic designs for the few modern buildings being constructed, Bill built his first work, his own house and studio (1932–3) in Zurich-Höngg. From 1937 onward he was a prime mover behind the Allianz group of Swiss artists.
Bill is widely considered the single most decisive influence on Swiss graphic design beginning in the 1950s with his theoretical writing and progressive work. His connection to the days of modernism gave him special authority. As an industrial designer, his work is characterized by a clarity of design and precise proportions. Examples are the elegant clocks and watches designed for Junghans, a long-term client. Among Bill's most notable product designs is the Ulmer Hocker of 1954, a stool that can also be used as a shelf element, a speaker's desk, a tablet or a side table. Although the stool was a creation of both Bill's and Ulm School designer Hans Gugelot's, it is often called "Bill Hocker" because the first sketch of it on a cocktail napkin was Bill's work.
As a designer and artist, Bill sought to create forms which visually represent the New Physics of the early 20th century. He sought to create objects so that the new science of form could be understood by the senses: that is as a concrete art. Thus Bill is not a rationalist – as is typically thought – but rather a phenomenologist. He made spare geometric paintings, prints and spherical sculptures, some based on the Möbius strip, in stone, wood, metal and plaster. His architectural work included an office building in Germany, a radio studio in Zurich, and a bridge in eastern Switzerland.
Bill continued to produce architectural designs, such as those for a museum of contemporary art (1981) in Florence and for the Bauhaus Archive (1987) in Berlin. In 1982 he also entered a competition for an addition to the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, built to a design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Pavillon-Skulptur, a large granite sculpture, was installed adjacent to the Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich in 1983. As is often the case with modern art in public places, the installation generated some controversy. Endlose Treppe, a sculpture made of North American granite, was designed for the philosopher Ernst Bloch.
In 1982 he was awarded the Sir Misha Black award and was added to the College of Medallists.
Bill executed many public sculptures in Europe and exhibited extensively in galleries and museums, including a retrospective at the Kunsthaus Zürich in 1968–69. He was the subject of retrospectives at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1974, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City in 1988.
Find vintage Max Bill stools, lighting, and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Max Bill Geneve Musee Serigraph, 1972
By Max Bill
Located in Hanover, MA
Max Bill (1908-1994) Geneva Museum exhibition serigraph, created to accompany the exhibition of works by Max Bill held from 6 April through 30 April 1972 at the Musee Rath in Geneva,...
Aluminum
Vintage Swedish Engineering Educational Diagram Poster
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish engineering educational or instructional diagram printed as a poster on cardboard. String hanger.
Paper
Thomas McKnight Serigraph
By Thomas McKnight
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Thomas McKnight serigraph. Artwork is 39" x 35". Framed measures 49" x 45.5" x 1.5". Acrylic cover has scratches and frame has chips, so reframing ...
Paper
$816Sale Price|30% Off
H 47 in W 33 in D 1 in
Vintage Anatomical Human Internal Organs Structure Chart, 1951, Germany
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
Vintage pull-down anatomical human chart, print of a painting for Dr. Neues & Co Kempen, Germany. The chart is part of the series: Biologisch-hygienisches Unterichtswerk des Deutsche...
Linen, Paper
Italian Grafiche Mariano 20th Century Poster of Gio Ponti Design
Located in Amarillo, TX
Framed Grafiche Mariano poster of Gio Ponti design, possibly a Domus magazine image.
Glass, Paper
$149
H 41 in W 27 in D 0.01 in
"Buffalo Bill and the Indians" 1976 Theatrical Movie Poster Paul Newman
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
An original vintage theatrical folded one-sheet movie poster. Measures: 27" x 41" [69 x 104 cm]). Buffalo Bill and the Indians or Sitting Bull's History Lesson, the 1976 Robert Altman Native American Indian cowboy western ("For your entertainment thousands of redskin savages will massacre peaceful white settlers!"; "A special honeymoon performance for President Grover Cleveland & the First Lady"; "When Buffalo Bill was through roaming the prairies he roamed the bedrooms"; "Sitting Bull say: Buffalo Bill full of bull"; "The greatest buffaloer of them all"; "Buffalo Bill is the biggest legend I ever created"; "See Annie Oakley miss the bull"; "'It ain't all that different from real life!'"; "'Ladees [sic] and Gentlemen! Dino Laurentiis presents the David Susskind production of Robert Altman's Absolutely Unique and heroic enterprise of inimitable lustre!'"; "Based Upon the play 'Indians' by Arthur Kopit") starring Paul Newman (in the title role as William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody), Burt Lancaster (as Ned Buntline), Joel Grey (as Nate Salisbury), Will Sampson, Kevin McCarthy, Geraldine Chaplin (as Annie Oakley), John Considine (as Frank Butler...
Paper
Gazelle French Shoe Poster Signed ''Robys''
By Robys
Located in Westport, CT
Stamped'' Robys'' Advertising shoe poster with gift box and shoes and Gazelles jumping out of it! Framed in black and silver leaf trim Frame, circa 1940, ...
Salvador Dali Midcentury Art Exhibition Poster, 1975
Located in Miami, FL
Original midcentury art exhibition poster of Salvador Dali’s work. This poster shows the master's interesting depiction of a woman holding a bouq...
Paper
Harold and Maude Original 1972 UK 1 Sheet Film Movie Poster
Located in Bath, Somerset
Wonderful original British film poster for 70s quirky romcom classic Harold & Maude. The UK 1 Sheet features arguably the best artwork for the title. A very rare and collectable post...
Linen, Paper
Early 20th Century Butlins Lithograph Advertising Poster
Located in London, GB
Early 20th century Butlins lithograph advertising poster A charming, fun, and rare example of a 1940s lithograph advertising poster for Butlins fair. Produced by Willsons, Printers of Leicester. The advert is written in the form of a £5 reward for a lost grey parrot...
Paper
$1,013
H 39.77 in W 25.2 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Sport Poster Munich Olympics 1972 Max Bill Shapes Design
By Max Bill
Located in London, GB
Original vintage sports poster promoting the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich Germany featuring a great minimalist design by the Swiss architect, artist, painter and graphic desig...
Paper
Miro Alcohol de Menthe Mid Century Galerie Adrien Maeght Art Poster
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Miro Alcohol de Menthe Mid Century Galerie Adrien Maeght Art Poster This framed art poster measures: 25 wide x 1 deep x 31 inches high This...
Metal
$670Sale Price|20% Off
H 12.01 in W 22.05 in D 0.6 in
Vintage Commercial Sign, English, Bronze, Sign-Written, Name Plaque, circa 1950
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage commercial sign. An English, bronze sign-written name plaque for Phoenix Assurance, dating to the mid-20th century, circa 19...
Bronze
Sold
H 1.26 in Dm 10.24 in
14 Artists Plates Collection Limited Edition by Rosenthal, Max Bill, Dali, Pucci
By Bjorn Wiinblad, Jean Cocteau, Rosenthal, Max Bill, (after) Salvador Dali
Located in Andernach, DE
Extraordinary collection of 14 Artists-Plates by Rosenthal, Germany. Ranging from 1971 to the mid 1980s, this series from their artists ''Studio-Line'' features designs from artist r...
Porcelain