Piet Mondrian was one of the main members of the influential De Stijl art movement. He also decorated his Paris studio according to the principles of De Stijl. This studio in the museum is recreated at full size.
Mondrian is best known for his abstract paintings with black lines and planes in the colours red, blue and yellow. He was also a member of an artists' group that called itself De Stijl. The artists of 'De Stijl' believed that as an artist, you should only use the three primary colours - red, blue and yellow. They supplemented these three colours with black, grey and white, the three 'non-colours'. Furthermore, all lines and angles had to be straight.
De Stijl has influenced generations of designers and architects, and contemporary artists also still draw on it. The art movement originated in Leiden in 1917, with the founding of the magazine De Stijl by Theo van Doesburg. The artists who joined De Stijl sought a totally "new art" that should also modernise society. Other prominent members were Bart van der Leck, Gerrit Rietveld and, of course, Piet Mondrian. It was precisely during this period that Mondrian made great strides towards abstract drawing and painting.
Mondrian made his paintings meticulously according to De Stijl. Principles he also applied in his daily life. For instance, the artist also furnished his Paris studio entirely according to Style principles. Mondrian lived and worked here from 1921 to 1936 and many of his famous works were created here.
At the Mondrian House, this studio house at 26 Rue de Depart in Paris has been reconstructed. This reconstruction was carried out in 2015 by architect and Mondrian expert Bob Kauffmann. Video projections show Mondrian sitting or standing in his studio. This is acted out by Kauffmann himself.
