An Identity for European Art

An identity, inspired by history, for a leading Foundation for European art, architecture, and archaeology.

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation devotes its resources to advancing the history, conservation, and enjoyment of the vast heritage of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the 19th Century. With a change in leadership, Kress recognized the value of updating their identity to reflect their new directions and ambitions for the future of the organization. The identity was redesigned to be current, yet classic. The firm designed a custom typographic logo and a comprehensive identification system for the Foundation. The elegant shape of the “K” was inspired by one of the decorative architectural details on a S.H. Kress & Co. Art Deco building. The stationery system features a collage of three different “punch marks,” which are decorative patterns that are embedded into painting’s gilded surfaces. This motif is then accented with color overlays, creating a contemporary interpretation of a historical tradition that the Foundation embodies. The comprehensive system includes stationery, folders and PowerPoint templates. Graphic guidelines were also created to ensure that the elegance, cleanliness, and dynamic qualities of the identity will be preserved in future applications and on all printed communications, continuing to express the scholarly yet current attributes of the Foundation.