While the late geometric paintings of Mondrian are recognizable by almost everyone, it is startling to see Mondrian's early landscapes from the Netherlands. Can you see an evolution in his use of color and move toward abstraction? This and the next two chapters are arranged chronologically.
Kunstmuseum Den Haag: Piet Mondrian 1872 Amersfoort - New York 1944
"Mondrian is seen as an ascetic monk who turned his back on life and lived only for art. It is true that he took art very seriously. But we actually know little about his life. And what we do know does not reveal some stiff Dutchman devoid of charm, but an artist who was receptive to influences, who enjoyed life and who wanted to contribute something special. The unique feature of Mondrian's work is its progression. To Mondrian, art was more than merely a representation of reality. He had a her purpose, a universal art. He found support for his ideas in theosophy, the spiritual movement that rejected materialism in search of inner wisdom attained through the development of the mind. The more false elements like superstition and empty forms were purged from existing religions, the closer one would come to the core of all belief. The same applied to art. From the very beginning, Mondrian was in search of a radical harmony that would lead to an abstract art."
View of the Schinkelburt, 1895
Landzicht Farm, 1905
Evening on the Gein, 1906
Eastside Mill, 1906-07
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