Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan
- Born:
- March 7, 1872, Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Died:
- February 1, 1944, New York City, USA
- Nationality:
- Dutch
- Profession(s):
- Painter, Art Theorist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a family of teachers.
- Received early art training from his father and uncle, both professional artists.
- Studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (Academy of Fine Arts) in Amsterdam from 1892 to 1897.
- Initially painted in a naturalistic and impressionistic style.
Career and Major Achievements
- Around 1908, Mondrian's work began to show influences of Pointillism and Fauvism.
- Moved to Paris in 1912, where he was exposed to Cubism, significantly impacting his artistic development.
- Developed his own abstract style, Neoplasticism (De Stijl), with Theo van Doesburg.
- During World War I, he stayed in the Netherlands.
- Returned to Paris in 1919 and continued to develop his signature geometric abstract style.
- Fled to London in 1938, and then to New York in 1940, due to the escalation of World War II.
- In New York, his work became brighter and more dynamic, reflecting the city's energy.
Notable Works
- Evolution (1910-1911)
- Composition with Color Planes 1 (1917)
- Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray (1921)
- Broadway Boogie Woogie (1942-1943)
- A notable instance of his stylistic evolution can be seen by comparing early landscapes with later works like the conceptualized "Piet Mondrian Biography Composition No 3" which encapsulates his mature artistic approach.
Legacy and Impact
Piet Mondrian is considered one of the most important figures in the development of abstract art. His Neoplastic style influenced generations of artists, architects, and designers, and continues to be a significant force in contemporary visual culture.