Finding aid for the Piet Zwart Views of Manufacturing and Architecture, circa 1928-1935
Finding aid prepared by Laura Schroffel.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Piet Zwart Views of Manufacturing and Architecture
Date (inclusive): 1928-circa 1935
Number: 2002.R.47
Creator/Collector:
Zwart, Piet, 1885-1977
Physical Description:
2.9 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Special Collections
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688
(310) 440-7390
Abstract: Photographs taken by designer Piet Zwart to be used in his typographical work for various manufacturing companies in the Netherlands.
Also includes photographic prints of architectural exteriors and interiors, and prints that are more artistic in nature.
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Language: Collection material is in
Dutch; Flemish
Biographical/Historical Note
Piet Zwart was born in 1885 in Zaandijk, Amsterdam. He was trained as an architect and worked for the architects Jan Wils
and H.P. Berlage. While working for Berlage and others Zwart also became adept in the field of interior design. In 1923 Zwart
began his typographical career creating advertisements that were published in Tijdschrift voor electrothechniek and Sterkstroom.
It was at this time that he produced his most famous work for the Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek, Delft. Zwart also did large
projects for the ITF, Internationale tentoonstelling op filmgebied, and the Dutch Postal Telegraph and Telephone Company (PTT),
including the design of a postage stamp. In 1930 Zwart was commissioned to design monthly calendar cards for the Bruynzeel
Wood Company, which manufactured pencils and doors. Eventually he designed all of Bruynzeel's printed publications, advertising,
packaging, offices, exhibitions and various offices of representatives abroad. Zwart's oeuvre is strongly associated with
the De Stijl movement.
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Piet Zwart views of manufacturing and architecture, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Accession no. 2002.R.47.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2002r47
Acquisition Information
Received in 2002.
Processing History
Processed by Laura Schroffel
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection is comprised of 37 photographic prints most likely taken by Zwart for photograms to be used in his typographical
work for advertisements and catalogs. Twenty-five prints are 5x7 and 12 prints are other various sizes. The bulk of the photographs
depict manufacturing companies. The Bruynzeel Wood Company makes up the majority of the manufacturers prints. Ten prints of
Bruynzeel have associated pieces of tracing paper overlays, possibly used to compose Zwart's typography projects. The photographs
are mostly details of machinery and views of the factory. Four prints are of the Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek, a cable factory.
Three prints are for the Wanning concrete sewer pipe manufacturing company. The collection contains a graphite drawing by
Zwart, possibly a layout for an advertisement for the Bruynzeel wood company. Seven prints are of architectural exteriors
and interiors, one building is the interior of the Dutch Pavilion, Antwerp, and the rest of the unidentified buildings. Two
prints are more artistic in nature.
Arrangement note
Organized in five series:
Series I. Bruynzeel Wood Company
Series II. Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek
Series III. Wanning Concrete Sewer pipe Company
Series IV. Architectural interiors and exteriors
Series V. Miscellaneous photographs
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Topics
Advertising layout and typography--Netherlands--20th century
Architecture--Netherlands
De Stijl (Art movement)
Manufacturing industries--Netherlands
Subjects - Places
Netherlands--Description and travel
Genres and Forms of Material
Gelatin silver prints--Netherlands--20th century
Photographs, Original
Series I.
Bruynzeel Wood Company
1928-circa 1935
Physical Description:
21 gelatin silver photographs, 10 tracing paper overlays
Scope and Content Note
Series I contains prints showing the Bruynzeel Wood Company showroom as well as the raw materials, factory, and the factory
machinery used in door production. Ten tracing paper overlays are associated with the Bruynzeel prints.
Box 1, Folder 1
2002.R.47-1
Exterior of Bruynzeel wood company
Box 1, Folder 1
2002.R.47-2 – 2002.R.47-6
Interiors of Bruynzeel showroom
Scope and Content Note
Annotation on verso: 2936/38.
Box 1, Folder 1
2002.R.47-7
Stacks of cut wood
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-8 - 2002.R.47-9
Interiors of Bruynzeel showroom
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-10
Stacks of cut wood
Scope and Content Note
Annotation in Dutch on verso in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-10A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-11
Stacks of cut wood
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-11A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-12
Stacks of raw materials
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-12A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-13
Stacks of raw materials on palette
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-13A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-14
Stacks of cut wood coming off of barge
Scope and Content Note
Annotation in Dutch on verso in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-14A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-15
Stacks of cut wood coming off of barge
Scope and Content Note
Annotation on verso in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-16
Bruynzeel employee fitting wood on a machine
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-16A
Tracing paper overlay
Scope and Content Note
Annotation in Dutch on recto in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-17
Factory machinery
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-17A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-18
Factory machinery
Scope and Content Note
Piet Zwart wetstamp on verso : rijksstraatweg 200, wassonaar holland.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-18A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-19
View of machinery in factory
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-19A
Tracing paper overlay.
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-20
Factory machinery
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-20A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-21
View of machinery in factory
Box 1, Folder 2
2002.R.47-21A
Tracing paper overlay
Box 2, Folder 1
2002.R.47-38
Drawing or layout
Scope and Content Note
Drawing based on some of the photographs of the Bruynzeel factory for a Zwart typographical project, possibly an advertisement
or a catalog.
Series II.
Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek
1928-circa 1935
Physical Description:
4 gelatin silver photographs
Scope and Content Note
Series II contains one photograph documenting cable production and three photographs showing cables on reels and spools.
Box 1, Folder 3
2002.R.47-22
Cable on reel
Scope and Content Note
Annotation in ink and crayon on verso.
Box 1, Folder 3
2002.R.47-23
Detail of 2002.R.47-22
Scope and Content Note
Ink masking and annotation in Dutch on recto; annotation on verso in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 3
2002.R.47-24
Empty wood spools
Box 1, Folder 3
2002.R.47-25
Nederlandsche Kabelfabriek employee adjusting cable
Series III.
Wanning Concrete Sewer pipe Company
1928-circa 1935
Physical Description:
3 gelatin silver photographs
Scope and Content Note
Series III contains three photographs documenting the manufacturing of sewer pipes at the Wanning company.
Box 1, Folder 4
2002.R.47-26 - 2002.R.47-28
Wanning employees forming concrete pipes
Scope and Content Note
Annotations in Dutch on verso in pencil.
Series IV.
Architectural interiors and exteriors
1928- circa 1935
Physical Description:
7 gelatin silver photographs
Scope and Content Note
Series four contains photographs documenting various buildings. One building is the Dutch Pavilion, Antwerp, the rest of the
buildings are unidentified.
Box 1, Folder 5
2002.R.47-29 - 2002.R.47-30
Exterior of a houseboat
Box 1, Folder 5
2002.R.47-31 - 2002.R.47-33
Interior of a home or office
Scope and Content Note
Annotation in Dutch on verso of one print in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 5
2002.R.47-34
Interior of Dutch Pavilion, Antwerp
Scope and Content Note
Annotation on verso in pencil.
Box 1, Folder 5
2002.R.47-35
Exterior of factory building
Series V.
Miscellaneous photographs
1928-circa 1935
Physical Description:
2 gelatin silver photographs
Scope and Content Note
Series five contains two photographs that seem to be unrelated to Zwart's manufacturing photography.
Box 1, Folder 6
2002.R.47-36
Package of dried bananas
Scope and Content Note
Piet Zwart wetstamp on verso : rijksstraatweg 200, wassonaar holland.
Box 1, Folder 6
2002.R.47-37
View of pond or lake
Scope and Content Note
Mounted on board.
