Mondrian
Mondrian's early works, through 1907, were calm landscapes painted in delicate greys,
mauves, and dark greens, tempered by Impressionists. In 1908, under the influence of
Dutch painter Jan Troorop, he began to experiment with brighter colours, this represented
his first attempt to transcend nature. This inclination was support by his decision in 1909,
to join the Theosophical Society, where the religious mysticism encouraged him to turn
inward to spiritual life.
Finally, Mondrian moved to Paris in 1911, where he adopted the Cubist-influence style,
producing analytical series, such as "Trees" (1912-13) and "Scaffoldings" (1912-14). These
series showed the form of the objects being reduced to their elementary expressions: curves
reduced to straight lines; and confused rhythms reduced to the two basic contrasts of
verticals and horizontals.
Under the Cubism influences, Mondrian started to develop structure by breaking down the
objects analytically. But soon concluded that Cubism was "more or less naturalistic", as it
always rely on the real object one way or the other. For several years, he purified the formal
geometric patterns. In "Composition No. 10" from the "Pier and Ocean series" (1915), the
composition is reduced to the basic elements, in the form of small verticals and horizontals
strokes.
Having experimented with lines and colours independently, Mondrian's next step was to
combine the two elements in a single composition. "Composition in Colour B" showed the
effect of this combination. The black lines are adjacent to the colour blocks, or superimposed
upon them, creating the rhythmic, staccato effects.
Throughout WWI, Mondrian stayed in Holland, being isolated in Paris at that time, fostered an
independent modern movement, leading Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg founded the
"De Stijl" (1927-32), a magazine in which Mondrian developed his theories of a new art form
he called Neo-Plasticism. An art of total clarity and strict economy of material, a source of
Geometric Abstraction.. He saw the foundations and essence of things, and used only straight
lines joined at right angles, because he believed this to be the angle of perfect equilibrium.
Mondrian rejected the sensuous qualities of texture and colour, and reduced his palette to
primary colours, as they can never be found in their purest in nature, therefore the most
abstract colour.
His masterly application of these theories led to work such as "Composition of Red, Yellow
and Blue" (1927), this composition consisted solely of a few black lines and well-balanced
blocks of colours, creating an monumental effect through its limits.
When Mondrian moved to New York in 1940, his style became freer and more rhythmic, he
abandoned the severe black lines in favour of the lively chain- link bright patterns, particularly
notable in his last complete masterwork "Broadway Boogie-Woogie" (1942-43).
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