In 1946, Jan Tschichold was hired by Sir Allen Lane, the chairman of Penguin Books, to create book covers that were simple and elegant, reflecting the content within.
Tschichold focused on using bold geometric shapes and patterns to convey visual appeal and a sense of order. He summarized these ideas in the so-called “Penguin Composition Rules.”

Prior to his arrival, Edward Young, Penguin’s Production Manager, had designed the original Penguin book covers and logo in the 1930s. (ss)