Wilhelm Neufeld

Biography

Publicity, books, woodcuts, illustrations, textiles, stamps, typography. Born 2 December 1908 in Munich. 1928-31: studied painting at the Munich Akademie der bildenden Künste: a teacher was Julius Hess. Studied mosaics at the Cologne Werkkunstschule: a teacher was Jan Thorn-Prikker; then had his own studio. 1933-9: managed a fabric-printingworks. 1939-47: military service, then prisoner of war in Russia. From 1948: worked for numerous publishers. By 1951: redesigned the covers for the Weltliteratur (World Literature) series published by Müller & Kiepenheuer (Insel). Designed postage stamps for the Deutsche Bundespost. 1965-75: taught at Mainz Werkkunstschule. 1979: founded Methusalem-Presse, Chieming am See, to print limited editions (29 books, 1979-95, and numerous graphic works). 1980-84: his prints published by FlugBlatt Press, Mainz/Lahnstein. Neufeld received numerous awards for his book and poster designs. 1995: awarded the City of Leipzig Gutenberg Prize. Died 21 November 1995 in Chieming.

Writings by

  • Signaturen. Materialien zu einem Symposium, Hamburg: Hans Christians, 1977
  • Versuche, Vermutungen, Chieming am See, 1992
  • Eine Münze für Charon, Passau: Reche, 1994.
  • ‘New uses for old art/Pharmaceutical prospectuses by Wilhelm Neufeld’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., April 1962, pp. 2-7
  • Walter Amstutz (ed.), Who’s Who in Graphic Art, 2nd ed., Dübendorf, 1982., 1982

Writings about

    Manuel Gasser, ‘Spektrum’ (journal of poetry and graphic art), Graphis 195, 1978, pp. 74-85, 88
  • 1951-60: ‘Eine neue Buchreihe’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., July 1951, pp. 54-9 (‘World Literature’ covers/jackets)
  • Fritz Volquard Arnold, ‘A new set of books. Book covers designed by Wilhelm Neufeld for the Weltliteratur’ (for Mueller & Kiepenheuer), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., July 1955, pp. 54-9
  • 1961-present: Vollmer, 1962
  • GKS, 1962
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘The special stamps of the Federal Postal Services 1956’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., March 1957, pp. 22-7
  • Carl Heussner, ‘Through the year with the mails’ (Federal Postal Services calendar), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., April 1958, pp. 2-7
  • Hans A. Halbey, ‘Book-jackets as an advertising medium’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Aug. 1959, pp. 10-19
  • R. Netzer, ‘Publicity and Dante’ (pharmaceutical publicity), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Nov. 1963, pp. 2-13
  • G.K. Schauer, Kleine Geschichte des Deutschen Buchumschlags, Langewiesche, 1962
    • Peter Willberg, ‘Wilhelm Neufeld’, Graphis 175, 1975, pp. 432-5
  • Thomas Reche, ‘Wilhelm Neufeld, sein Epitaph und die Methusalem-Presse’ Philobiblon, March 1996, pp. 2-14 (includes bibliography of the Press, 1979-95)
  • T. Reche, ‘Nachruf auf Wilhelm Neufeld’, Illustration 63, Nov. 1996, p. 101 (obituary).
  • Richard Hiepe, ‘Mythology and the present time – drawings by Wilhelm Neufeld’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Feb. 1967, pp. 12-19
  • ‘Inspiring Folk-Art/New Pharmaceutical Advertising by Wilhelm Neufeld’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Nov. 1969, pp. 51-55
    • Maria Martini, ‘The signs of the zodiac in the service of pharmaceutical advertising in Spain’, novum, 11, 1973, pp. 54-6
  • Ludwig Ebenhöh, ‘Wilhelm Neufeld. Book jackets and prospectuses’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., March 1955, pp. 12-19
  • L. Ebenhöh, ‘The Yellow Letterbox’ (children’s journal for the German Federal Postal Services), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Oct. 1956, pp. 48-53
  • Remigius Netzer, ‘Book-covers by Wilhelm Neufeld’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., June 1958, pp. 2-9
  • R. Netzer, ‘On the illustrations for Goethe’s Faust by Wilhelm Neufeld’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Aug. 1960, pp. 20-25
  • R. Netzer, ‘Brochures for “The Pill”’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., April 1971, pp. 26-31

Exhibitions

  • Klingspor Museum, Offenbach a.M., 1967
  • Gutenberg Museum, Mainz, 1996.

Collections

  • Klingspor Museum, Offenbach a.M.
  • Bayer. Staatsbibliothek
  • Herzog-August-Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel
  • National Art Library, V&A, London.