42 Toulouse-Lautrec greatly influenced French art in the late 19th century thanks to his use of new kinds of subjects, his ability to capture the essence of an individual, and his stylistic innovations; he was the first to blur the lines between fine art and advertising. W. A. Dwiggins The Bauhaus was operational from 1919 to 1933. Look up why the expression Less is more is often associated with L.M. Van Der Rohe, the last director of the Bauhaus. to blur: sfumare i contorni to coin: coniare craftsmanship: artigianato to devote: dedicare knack: abilit 102 GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY OF GRAPHIC DESIGN Very early origins Some people argue that the history of graphic design can be traced back to our early ancestors, drawing animal pictures, handprints, and activities like hunting on cave walls and rocks: right from the start, humanity displayed a knack for communicating through visuals. Modern origins However, it was in the late 19th century that graphic design emerged as a distinct profession in the Western world because of the new technologies and commercial possibilities brought about by the second Industrial Revolution. Books, magazines, and posters were produced and distributed to educate, inform, and entertain, and a new profession emerged in Paris: l affichiste, or poster artist. Henry de Toulouse-Lautrec was one of the first artists to devote himself to the creation of posters and billboards. The link between graphic design and fine arts became clear: the text partially lost its didactic and descriptive value to take on decorative and aesthetic importance. Later, in the early 20th century, advertising agencies and publishers started hiring art directors to organise all visual elements of their communication in a pleasant whole. The term graphic design first appeared in print in the 1922 essay New Kind of Printing Calls for New Design by William Addison Dwiggins, an American book designer who coined the term to explain how he organised and managed visuals in his work. The school of Bauhaus The years between the two wars were a period of experimentation and the first schools of art and design were founded. The most influential for graphic design was the Bauhaus . Founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius in Weimar, it aimed at reconciling art and craftsmanship with industrial production. According to its principles, aesthetics must combine with functionality, simplicity, clarity, and minimalism . After more than 100 years, the Bauhaus is one of the design styles still capable of influencing and being a tool of modern visual communication. The present and future of graphic design Graphic design is a dynamic and creative field that is constantly changing and finding more and more applications every day. Its central nature is keeping up with society: being able to meet the demand of current trends, understanding emerging ideas, and expressing new concepts. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence on the one hand, and increased awareness of emotional intelligence and sustainability on the other are already affecting and will continue to graphic design, opening up new realms of creativity.