Herbert Matter: Artist Magician

The photographs and designs of Swiss émigré Herbert Matter make clear that he was both an artist and a magician—hence the title of this new book by John T. Hill. He (Matter) came to the U.S. in 1936 and built an influential career as a photographer for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and as a graphic designer for clients including Knoll, for whom he shaped the company's visual identity for decades. Matter was brought to Yale by Alvin Eisenman and taught there from 1952 until his retirement in 1976. This book breaks down his work into easily manageable chunks, and although it has short writings by Hill, Paul Rand, Steve Heller, and others we list below, the work largely speaks for itself. It’s that good.