A large red square, a small block of blue and a corner of yellow, separated by black lines of varying thickness on a white ground. Mondrian reduced painting to straight lines and the three primary colours, yet created a dynamic balance. The image has become a byword for modern design.
Key facts
- Artist
- Piet Mondrian1872–1944 · Dutch
- Date
- 1930
- Period
- Modern1900–1930
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 46 × 46 cm
- Location
- Kunsthaus Zürich Zürich, Switzerland
Actual size
Compared with an adult 170 cm tall
Palette
#EAE9E6#D72519#D6C5B7#472022#34658BBackground
Mondrian began by painting Dutch landscapes, trees and windmills. Inspired by Cubism, he gradually reduced branches and buildings to horizontal and vertical lines, and finally abandoned representation altogether for pure abstraction.
In 1917 he and Theo van Doesburg founded the magazine De Stijl, launching the movement of the same name. He developed , arguing that art should use only straight lines, right angles, the three primaries and black, white and grey to express universal harmony.
This work dates from his Paris years and is the most famous of his red, yellow and blue compositions; it is in the Kunsthaus Zürich.
Technique & composition
The picture looks simple but was carefully calculated and repeatedly adjusted. dominates the upper right, balanced asymmetrically by at lower left and in the lower right corner. The weight of the red is offset by the small blue and yellow, so the composition is both stable and tense.
vary in thickness, and some stop short of the edge. Mondrian painted them by hand rather than mechanically; up close one can see brushwork and layers of paint.
Details
Symbolism
Universal harmony
Influenced by Theosophy, Mondrian believed horizontal lines represented the feminine, material and passive, and verticals the masculine, spiritual and active. Their intersection symbolised the balance of opposing forces in the universe.
The primary colours
Red, yellow and blue are the primaries, which cannot be mixed from other colours. Mondrian considered them the purest, most fundamental colours, representing the essence of reality.
Stories
- Did you know?
In 1965 the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent created his famous “Mondrian dress”, bringing the painter's imagery into fashion.
- Did you know?
At lower left is Mondrian's monogram “PM 30”, indicating 1930.
Legacy
Mondrian's work profoundly influenced modern architecture, graphic design, furniture and fashion. His clean grids and pure colours can be seen in Bauhaus design, International Style architecture and today's web and brand design.
