Phaidon’s new Graphic Classics is a lavish greatest hits of graphic design

A book for fans of instant graphic gratification, Graphic Classics brings together 500 key touchstones in the history of contemporary information design, typography, logos, identities, fonts, posters and more. Assembled by Phaidon’s crack editorial team, Graphic Classics is nothing if not plural, featuring work from the 14th century onwards.

With a high quality of reproduction and top-notch picture research, this 500-plus-page hardback functions as a ready reference work and source of inspiration for anyone with a passing interest in the art of graphic design. Arranged chronologically, the first section is given over to detailed reproductions of key works with more in-depth texts in the second half.

At times, this book feels like a well-curated Instagram account brought to life, with the sheer diversity of work on display illustrating the magpie mind of modern visual culture. There’s a wealth of trivia and insight here alongside the story of acknowledged classics, with everything from the crossword puzzle to the copyright symbol sitting alongside Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, the Penguin paperback, the eye chart and many more.

Featured designers include Aleksandr Rodchenko, Paul Rand, Paula Scher, Otl Aicher, Alan Fletcher, GTF, Stefan Sagmeister, Jan Tschichold and many more. As an introduction to the pleasures of print and the importance of the physical over the digital, Graphic Classics is an excellent place to start.

Graphic Classics, Phaidon Editors, £69.95, ships 29 August 2024, available to pre-order at Phaidon.com and Amazon