Piet Mondrian The Dutch artist Piet Mondrian was abstract artist from 1907- 1944. Mondrian grew up in the Netherlands then moved to Paris where he was based for many years. While in Paris, the influence of the Cubism style of Picasso and Georges Braque appeared almost immediately in Mondrian's work. In Paris, he flourished in an atmosphere of intellectual freedom that enabled him to embrace an art of pure abstraction for the rest of his life. In his move from the Netherlands to Paris he changed his name (dropping an 'a' from Mondrian) to emphasize his departure from The Netherlands. In 1908, the artist becomes interested for the teosophic movement, which, in its beliefs, says that one can know nature more profoundly than only by empiricist evidence.
Mondrian began producing grid-based paintings in late 1919, and in 1920, the style for which he came to be renowned for. His works consisted of a grid of vertical and horizontal linear lines. His works dominated by the geometric shapes and interlocking planes commonly found in Cubism. Mondrian’s paintings were very modernist and balanced; he believed the lines offered his paintings a new dynamism which he was eager to explore. Mondrian's paintings of this period came to be increasingly dominated by white space.
His aim was clear in his works. He once said “I construct lines and color combinations on a flat surface, in order to express general beauty with the utmost awareness. Nature (or, that which I see) inspires me, puts me, as with any painter, in an emotional state so that an urge comes about to make something, but I want to come as close as possible to the truth and abstract everything from that, until I reach the foundation (still just an external foundation!) of things… I believe it is possible that, through horizontal and vertical lines constructed with awareness, but not with calculation, led by high intuition, and brought to harmony and rhythm, these basic forms of beauty, supplemented if necessary by other direct lines or curves, can become a work of art, as strong as it is true.” in 1914. His ideas and aims were based on a general beauty with nature.
ANNAYLISIS
One of Piet Mondrian’s famous works was Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow which he painted in 1930. The scale of the work was 20" x 20.its quite a small piece of work. The painting consisted of white ground, upon which was painted a grid of vertical and horizontal black lines. Mondrian Painted by Oil on Canvas, he would always rule all his lines out so they would be bold, balanced and even linear lines. Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow is an abstract work which was made in a modernist time. While in Paris, the influence of the Cubism style of Picasso and Georges Braque appeared almost immediately in Mondrian's work, not just this one but multiple others.
Mondrian focus on the construction of rectangular shapes from different types of lines reveals a deeper understanding of contrast and balance. Piet uses bold harmonicas warm colours to create that blocking colour look. The colored forms have the most obvious brush strokes, all running in one direction. His use of primary colours allows for the formation of a unique triad. The expansion in colour adds brightness to this image. His brush strokes’ in the colour blocks reflects his moods and feelings.
The painting can be viewed from one angle on as it is 2D. The painting is increasingly dominated by white space. In His artwork line is the most important element. The lines are bold black and eccentric. The lines are symmetric and even. They are Very organic. He uses the lines as a grid. The lines are very balanced and even. Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow Is a flat work, the paint is applied evenly throughout the painting. While the black stripes are the flattest of the paintings, in the areas with color are clear the brushstrokes, all in the same direction. The white spaces are, on the contrary, painted in layers, using brushstrokes
