A brief recap back at the founding: Walter Gropius' Bauhaus manifesto from April 1919

"The ultimate goal of all artistic activity is the building! Decorating it was once the most important task of the fine arts; they were inseparable components of great architecture. Today they stand in a self-sufficient individuality from which they can only be released again through conscious participation and Architects, painters and sculptors must learn to recognize and understand the complex shape of the building in its entirety and in its parts, then their works will automatically be filled with the architectural spirit that they lost in the old salon art Art schools were not able to create this unity, how could they, since art cannot be taught? They have to be absorbed into the workshop again. This world of pattern makers and artisans must finally become a building one again If he feels a love for artistic activity within himself, just as his career once began with learning a craft, the unproductive “artist” will no longer be condemned to imperfect artistic practice in the future, because his skill will now remain in the craft where he can achieve excellence able. Architects, sculptors, painters, we all have to go back to crafts! Because there is no such thing as “art by profession”. There is no difference in essence between the artist and the craftsman. The artist is an extension of the craftsman. Grace from heaven allows art to unconsciously blossom from the work of his hand in rare moments of light that are beyond his will, but the basis of the workmanship is indispensable for every artist. There is the source of creative design. So let us form a new guild of craftsmen without the class-dividing arrogance that wanted to build a haughty wall between craftsmen and artists! Let us want, imagine and create together the new building of the future, which will be everything in one form: architecture and sculpture and painting, which will one day rise to heaven from millions of craftsmen's hands as a crystal symbol of a new faith to come."

Walter Gropius