Richard Blank

Biography

Publicity, typography, lettering, book-jackets, postage stamps. Born 9 June 1901 in Berlin. 1918-23: trained at the Berlin Kunstgewerbemuseumschule: a teacher was Emil Orlik. Associated with the Berlin publisher Ullstein for 10 years, then as art director for the publisher Scherl. Mid 1930s: illustrated covers for Sport im Bild. 1942-5: military service, then worked for three years for Berlin newspapers and illustrated journals. 1948-69: taught lettering and graphic design at the Hochschule für Bildenden Künste, Berlin-Charlottenburg (1949: professor). One of the founders of the Association of German Graphic Artists (Bund Deutscher Gebrauchsgraphiker: BDG). Blank received an award at the Milan Triennale, 1954, for his graphic work in lettering and typography, which included postage stamps, newspaper mastheads (Die Welt, Der Tages Spiegel), book jackets and posters. Died 8 August 1972 in Berlin.

Writings by

  • Walter Amstutz (ed.), Who’s Who in Graphic Art, Zurich: Amstutz & Herdeg Graphis Press, 1962. , 1962.

Writings about

  • Anton Sailer, ‘Arbeiten von Richard Blank, Berlin’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., June 1951, pp. 56-60
  • Peter Heemskerk, ‘Berlin ist eine Reise wert’ (travel posters), Graphik, 1953, pp. 658-63, esp. pp. 659, 662
  • brief biography, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Sept. 1955, p. 55
  • Ludwig Ebenhöh, ‘European stamps 1957’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., March 1958, pp. 40-41
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Richard Blank’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., June 1959, pp. 14-17 (jackets, stamps)
  • E. Hölscher, ‘A new German TV-station symbol’ (competition), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., June 1963, pp. 54-6
  • Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon, Munich/Leipzig: K.G. Saur Verlag, 1990-., 1995.
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Blank’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Nov. 1930, pp. 16-23
  • H.K. Frenzel, ‘Richard Blank, Berlin’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., May 1937, pp. 30-35
  • Eberhard Hölscher, ‘The sufferings of the Berlin heraldic bear’, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Feb. 1954, pp. 52-5
  • E. Hölscher, ‘The best German posters of 1956, Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., Aug. 1957, pp. 2-7
  • E. Hölscher, ‘Federal Horticultural Exhibition 1961’ (poster competition), Gebrauchsgraphik (International Advertising Art), Berlin: Phönix Illustrationsdruck und Verlag GmbH (later: ‘Gebrauchsgraphik’ Druck und Verlag GmbH), 1933-71. Published from Munich from 1950., March 1960, pp. 54-6