Kunstmuseum Den Haag Highlights Five Surprising Pre-Abstract Mondrian Works
Before Piet Mondrian developed his signature Neoplastic style of geometric abstraction, he experimented with several modernist movements. The Kunstmuseum Den Haag in The Hague, Netherlands, holds a group of early works that trace this evolution. They include Devotion (1908), a Symbolist portrait; Windmill in Sunlight (1908), painted in Fauvist colors; Evening, Red Tree (1908–1910), which echoes Post-Impressionism; and the Cubist still lifes Still Life with Ginger Jar I (1911–1912) and The Gray Tree (1912). After moving to Paris in 1911, Mondrian encountered Cubism and began simplifying his compositions. He also changed the spelling of his surname from Mondriaan to Mondrian. These five paintings show how he moved from representational imagery toward the flat, grid-like abstractions for which he is known.
Key facts
- Piet Mondrian is a founder of the Dutch modern movement De Stijl.
- He is known for pure abstractions from the 1920s featuring lines, rectangles, and primary colors.
- In 1911, Mondrian moved from the Netherlands to Paris and began experimenting with Cubism.
- He changed the spelling of his name from Mondriaan to Mondrian.
- The Kunstmuseum Den Haag holds a collection of his early period works.
- The article highlights five paintings by Mondrian from that collection.
- The paintings span Symbolism, Fauvism, Post-Impressionism, and Cubism.
- The works include Devotion, Windmill in Sunlight, Evening, Red Tree, Still Life with Ginger Jar I, and The Gray Tree.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
Locations
- The Hague
- Netherlands
- Paris
- France