Three Books on Piet Mondrian Explore His Theosophical Roots and Artistic Evolution

Three recent publications shed new light on Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), challenging the common perception of his abstract geometric style as scientific. Edited by Elena Pontiggia, "Scritti teorici. Il neoplasticismo e una nuova immagine della società" (Libri Scheiwiller, 2021) reveals that Mondrian's theories were rooted in anthroposophical and traditionalist ideas, often contradictory and unclear. His 1918 statement in De Stijl—"The new is nothing but a different manifestation of the universal truth, which is immutable"—echoes René Guénon's traditionalism. A second book, the exhibition catalogue "Piet Mondrian. Dalla figurazione all'astrazione" (24 ORE Cultura, 2021), accompanied the show at MUDEC in Milan, curated by Benno Tempel in collaboration with Kunstmuseum Den Haag. The exhibition traced Mondrian's evolution from the Hague School through his 1908 turn to theosophy to De Stijl design, including Gerrit Rietveld. A third volume, Elena Pontiggia's "Piet Mondrian. Una vita per l'arte" (24 ORE Cultura, 2021), offers a critical biography. A new Mondrian exhibition has just opened at Fondation Beyeler, a must-see for Art Basel visitors.