1907

Born April 25, in Engelberg, Switzerland.

1907 Born April 25, in Engelberg, Switzerland.
1907
1907

1925-1927

Studied painting at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Geneva.

1925-1927 Studied painting at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Geneva
1925
1925

1929-1932

Worked with A.M. Cassandre on poster design and Le Corbusier on architecture and displays for exhibits in Paris.

1929-1932 Worked with A.M. Cassandre on poster design and Le Corbusier on architecture and displays for exhibits in Paris
1929
1929

1930

Designed family-owned Tea Room in Engelberg, inspired by the Bauhaus.

1930 Tea Room
1930
1930

1932-1935

Sent back to Zurich by french immigration for lack of proper papers. Worked as photographer and designer on brochures and posters for the Swiss Tourist Office using the new photomontage technique.

1932 Swiss Tourism, by Herbert Matter
1932
1932

1935

Traveled to the United States in December photographed the US tour of dance troupe Trudi Schoop. Decided to stay in New York City.

1935 Trudi Schoop
1935
1935

1936-1938

Worked as freelance photographer at Harper's Bazaar for art director Alexey Brodovitch.

1936-1938 Harper's Bazaar
1936
1936

1939

Appointed designer for the Swiss National Pavilion in collaboration with Swiss architect William Lescaze, for the 1939 World's Fair in New York.

1939 World's Fair in New York
1939
1939

1941

Marriage to Mercedes Carles. Started working on posters and advertisements for the Container Corporation of America (CCA).

1941 Marriage to Mercedes Carles
1941
1941

1942

Son Alexander Matter born.

1942 Alex Matter
1942
1942

1943

First one-man exhibition of photography, Pierre Matisse Gallery, NY

1943 Exhibition of photography, Pierre Matisse Gallery, NY
1943
1943

1943-1946

Worked with Charles and Ray Eames in Venice, California.

Designed covers and layouts for John Entenza's arts & architecture magazine.

1943-1946 arts & architecture magazine
1944
1944

1946

Returned to New York. Began twenty-year relationship with furniture company Knoll Associates as design- and advertising consultant.

1946 Knoll
1946
1946

1946-1957

Worked as staff photographer for Condé Nast Publications.

1946-1957 Condé Nast Publications
1947
1947

1948

Designed In and Out of Focus, photography exhibition for the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Matter's work included in the show.

1948 photography exhibition for the Museum of Modern Art
1948
1948
1949

1949-1950

Directed, filmed and edited The Works of Calder for the Museum of Modern Art, the first color film about Alexander Calder. Featuring Calder, Alex Matter and a film-score composed by John Cage.

1949
1949

1950-1955

Collaborated, filmed and edited black and white dance films The Spirit Moves and Dancing with Mura Dehn.

1950 The Spirit Moves
1950
1950

1951-1960

Appointed visiting critic in photography, Yale University, School of Art and Architecture, New Haven, CT by Alvin Eisenman.

1951-1960 Alvin Eisenman
1951
1951

1952-1955

Appointed design consultant to the New Haven Railroad (NHRR). Created comprehensive design program and corporate identity.
1952-1955 New Haven Railroad
1952
1952

1953-1968

Appointed design consultant to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Responsible for publications and signage.
1953-1968 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New Yor
1953
1953

1955

Created symbol and styling design program for the Boston and Maine Railroad.
Completed design for the photo mural History of Writing for Marcel Breuer designed public library, Grosse Pointe, MI.
Honored by membership in the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), Zürich/Switzerland.
1955 Photo Mural History, Marcel Breuer
1955
1955

1958

Designed mural for the fifth floor reception of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed Seagram building in New York.
1958 Mural by Herbert Matter
1958
1958

1960-1979

Developed photographic essay on the works of Alberto Giacometti.
1960 Alberto Giacometti
1960
1960

1961-1967

Design consultant to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX.

1961-1976

Appointed Professor of Graphic Design, Yale University, School of Art and Architecture.

1961-1967 Herbert Matter
1961
1961

1962

Comprehensive exhibition of Matter's photography and graphic design work at the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), NY.

1962 AIGA
1962
1962

1968

Produced and directed ten 30 minute educational films titled the World Games on R. Buckminster Fuller.

1968 R. Buckminster Fuller
1968
1968

1976

Appointed Professor Emeritus of Graphic Design and Photography, Yale University, School of Art and Architecture.

1976 Yale University
1976
1976

1977

Elected to Art Director's Club of New York, Hall of Fame.
The Visual Language of Herbert Matter
1977
1977

1978

Exhibition, Herbert Matter - a retrospective, Yale University, Art and Architecture gallery.

Exhibition of photography, Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland.

1978 Exhibition of photography, Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland
1978
1978

1982

Elected Royal Designer to Industry, by Royal Society of Designers to Industry, London, England.
The Visual Language of Herbert Matter
1982
1982

1983

Received American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Gold Medal for Life Achievement.

1983 Gold Medal Herbert Matter
1983
1983

1984

May his legend prosper and thrive, we wish it a long and happy life!

1984
1984
1984

1986

Publication of book Alberto Giacometti based on Matter's extensive specifications and design.

1986 Publication of book Alberto Giacometti
1986
1986

1988

Exhibition of Matter's early European work, Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland. Release of book Sehformen der Zeit on the same topic.

1988 Sehformen der Zeit, Herbert Matter
1988
1988

1991

Exhibition The Graphic Design of Herbert Matter, Museum of Modern Art, NY

1991 Herbert Matter, Museum of Modern Art, NY
1991
1991

2005

Exhibition Herbert Matter, Modernist Photography and Graphic Design at Stanford University Libraries, CA.
2005 Stanford University Libraries
2005
2005

2007

Pollock Matters, Exhibition at McMullen Museum of Art Boston College, MA.

2007 Pollock Matters, Exhibition
2007
2007
2010

2010

Release of documentary film "The Visual Language of Herbert Matter" written and directed by Reto Caduff.

www.imdb.com

2010
2010
Engelberg, Switzerland.

Timeline