Piet Mondrian’s paintings were not just artistic expressions, but also a means to connect people with the fundamental order of the cosmos. He believed that abstraction, with its ability to convey the underlying spirituality of nature and the universal balance of forces , could help people access and express this order.
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Key ideas
- Abstraction
- Mondrian’s artistic philosophy was a radical departure from traditional realism. He firmly believed that abstraction, with its focus on the essence rather than the appearance of things, offered a more accurate picture of reality.Universal harmony
- Mondrian’s work sought to express the universal balance of forces, such as positive and negative, dynamic and static, and masculine and feminine.
- Primary colors
- Mondrian’s belief in the purity and universality of primary colors is a testament to his deep understanding of human experiences. He believed that these colors, in their simplicity, could connect us all, offering a shared experience that transcends individual differences and connects us on a deeper level.Vertical and horizontal lines
- Mondrian believed that vertical and horizontal lines represented the two essential opposing forces.
Influences
- Theosophy
- Mondrian’s work was influenced by Theosophy, a philosophical theory that sought to connect with the ancient spiritual wisdom of the universe.
- Cubism
- Mondrian was influenced by Cubism, which he absorbed through the work of Georges Braque, Fernand Léger, and Pablo Picasso.
Examples of his work
- Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow (1930)
- Evening: Red Tree (1908)
- Broadway Boogie-Woogie (1942)
- Victory Boogie Woogie
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