Piet Mondrian artworks
Piet Mondrian is an important innovator in modern art. He begins by painting trees and landscapes, but his work becomes increasingly abstract, featuring straight lines and colours such as red, yellow and blue. At the Kröller-Müller Museum, you can see how he gradually developed this distinctive style. Come and see for yourself and discover Mondrian!
Piet Mondrian in balance
Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) was one of the Netherlands’ greatest modern artists. Mondrian came from a strict and traditional family. This upbringing is reflected in the artist’s work. The distinctive Piet Mondrian composition is perfectly balanced. Mondrian omits elements that, in his view, do not belong in art. He allows only the fundamental idea of what art is to find a place in the painting. This way of looking at things is consistent with Mondrian’s religious convictions. He believed that religion should be reduced to the very essence of faith.
Mondrian’s unique style
Mondrian’s ideas about art resulted in a unique form of abstract painting. But before discovering this unique style, he underwent a significant artistic evolution. He began his artistic career with Impressionist paintings. Then he moved towards Symbolism and Cubism. It was not until 1925 that Mondrian began creating the abstract art for which he is best known. You are probably familiar with them: the Piet Mondrian compositions featuring red, yellow and blue with black frames, such as Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue (1927) from our collection.
Piet Mondriaan, Composition with red, yellow and blue, 1927
Mondrian and De Stijl
On 6 February 1916, Mondrian met the artist Theo van Doesburg. Van Doesburg asked Mondrian to contribute to an art magazine, which would be called De Stijl. The artists who joined De Stijl sought a completely new form of art with the aim of creating a new modern society. With his unique style, Mondrian was the great example for all the artists of De Stijl. The Kröller-Müller Museum houses many works of art from the De Stijl, including world-famous paintings by Mondrian and masterpieces by Theo van Doesburg, Gerrit Rietveld and Bart van der Leck.
Piet Mondriaan, Composition in Colour A, 1917
Helene acquires her first Mondrian painting
When she first began her collection, Helene Kröller-Müller purchased artworks that appealed to her personally. She had a particular fondness for Van Gogh and collected a large number of works by the artist. Later, Helene began collecting art for the general public. Her collection was intended to be ‘for the benefit and enjoyment of the community’. Her personal preferences played a lesser role.
Nevertheless, her taste remains evident. For example, she did not purchase any works by the Bauhaus. This innovative art movement was heavily influenced by artists such as Mondrian. H.P. Bremmer, Helene’s personal adviser, ensured that she also purchased avant-garde, innovative works. On his advice, Helene acquired Tableau no. 1, a Piet Mondrian artwork.
Mondrian and De Stijl
Theo van Doesburg founded the magazine De Stijl in 1917. Mondrian and Van der Leck were both members. The members sought to achieve unity and balance in art. In their view, this was only possible through the use of geometric shapes. This ‘formal idiom’ was limited to rectangles, squares and lines. The three primary colours – red, yellow and blue – recurred frequently. The artists complemented these colours with white, grey and black.
The geometry in Mondrian’s abstract art was adopted by many De Stijl artists. He was a tremendous source of inspiration. You can also see this reflected in the architecture, fashion, furniture and advertising of that era. A textbook example is Gerrit Rietveld’s chair. In this way, the 'new art' also acquired a social purpose: that of modernising society.
