Art, literature & historyVillage Church
Piet Mondrian · 1898
Piet Mondrian: 1872–1944
Other names (3)
Mondriaan, Piet Cornelies Mondrian, Piet Cornelis Mondrian
Biography
Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (Dutch: [ˈpitər kɔrˈneːlɪs ˈmɔndrijaːn]; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), known after 1911 as Piet Mondrian (, US also ; Dutch: [pit ˈmɔndrijɑn]), was a Dutch painter and art theoretician, who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He was one of the pioneers of 20th-century abstract art, as he changed his artistic direction from figurative painting to an increasingly abstract style, until he reached a point where his artistic vocabulary was taken down to simple geometric elements.
Mondrian's art was highly utopian, and was concerned with a search for universal values and aesthetics. He proclaimed in 1914, "Art is higher than reality and has no direct relation to reality. To approach the spiritual in art, one will make as little use as possible of reality, because reality is opposed to the spiritual. We find ourselves in the presence of an abstract art. Art should be above reality, otherwise it would have no value for man."
He was a contributor to the De Stijl art movement and group, which he co-founded with Theo van Doesburg. He evolved a non-representational form which he termed Neoplasticism. This was the new 'pure plastic art' which he believed was necessary in order to create 'universal beauty'. To express this, Mondrian eventually decided to limit his formal vocabulary to the three primary colors (red, blue, and yellow), the three primary values (black, white, and gray), and the two primary directions (horizontal and vertical).
Mondrian's arrival in Paris from the Netherlands in 1912 marked the beginning of a period of profound change. He encountered experiments in Cubism, and with the intent of integrating himself within the Parisian avant-garde removed an 'a' from the Dutch spelling of his name (Mondriaan).
Wikipedia contributors. Opening excerpt, formatted for reading. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision.
Influenced by
- Vincent van Gogheditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Bart van der Leckeditorial inference
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Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified.
- Paul Cézanneeditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Jacob van Ruisdaeleditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Pablo Picassoeditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
Later influence
- Marlow Mosseditorial inference
Evidence
Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified.
- Albert Gleizeseditorial inference
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Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified.
- Richard Diebenkorneditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- James Kellyeditorial inference
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Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified.
- Josef Alberseditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Theo van Doesburgeditorial inference
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Wikidata assertion retained for review; its references, if supplied, have not been independently verified.
- Lee Krasnereditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Balcomb Greeneeditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Ilya Bolotowskyeditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Brian Enoeditorial inference
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Reviewed the named influence and direction in the source passage. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Arthur Giardellieditorial inference
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Reviewed the named influence and direction in the source passage. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Ad Reinhardteditorial inference
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Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Michel Seuphoreditorial inference
Evidence
The biography identifies Mondrian's Neo-Plasticist work as an influence on Seuphor. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Kiyoshi Saitoeditorial inference
Evidence
The biography identifies Piet Mondrian as an artistic influence on Kiyoshi Saitō (artist). The biography discusses these modernist influences on Saitō's printmaking, with a more specific account of Mondrian's formal example. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
- Henryk Stazewskieditorial inference
Evidence
The biography identifies Piet Mondrian as an artistic influence on Henryk Stażewski. The biography places these European avant-garde influences in the 1920s and 1930s. Explicit secondary-source assertion; independent historical verification remains pending.
Artworks by year
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Museums & collections
Documented holdings of works attributed to Piet Mondrian. Check the museum’s record for current display information.
- Museum of Modern Art15 recorded works
- Gemeentemuseum den Haag, Hague, Netherlands11 recorded works
- Art Institute of Chicago7 recorded works
- Tate5 recorded works
- The Cleveland Museum of Art4 recorded works
- Minneapolis Institute of Art3 recorded works
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art3 recorded works
- Fondation Beyeler2 recorded works
- Musée d’Orsay2 recorded works
- Kröller-Müller Museum1 recorded work
- Kunstmuseum Basel1 recorded work
- Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen1 recorded work
- musée départemental Maurice Denis — Saint-Germain-en-Laye1 recorded work
- Musée National d'Art Moderne1 recorded work
- National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum1 recorded work
- National Gallery of Art1 recorded work
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum1 recorded work
Sources 9
- Wikidata (CC0)
- National Gallery of Art
- Museum authority country review
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Museum authority country review
- Tate Collection metadata (October 2014 snapshot)
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Expanded artwork research — official museum evidence
- Pantheon 2025 — Datawheel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
