An explanation of Mondrian's oeuvre by Michael Sciam

An overview of Mondrian’s oeuvre 1893 – 1944

The following pages present an in-depth examination of Mondrian’s oeuvre from the first naturalistic works up to the last two abstract compositions Broadway Boogie Woogie and Victory Boogie Woogie which represent a marvelous synthesis of the artist’s new vision of reality. 

“The evolution of his work is certainly the most eloquent of this century. No modern painter comes from so far, none has gone so far. This trajectory remains forever unique. The process is of such a clear and pure progression that it is its own myth.

He comes from Van Gogh – what am I saying – he redoes the whole evolution of Van Gogh himself, then, after having painted as a fauve before the fauves, he catches up with cubism, overtakes it, slowly continues a process of dematerialization until a 1931 canvas, which has only two black lines on a white background.

Then the curve gradually descends towards the sensitive life, to end up in the “boogie-woogies”, in view of a new land. I know of no other example of such acute finalism.”

While the entire oeuvre constitutes a unified evolution process with no breaks in continuity, it can be divided into a number of sections for explanatory purposes.

MONDRIAN’S NATURALISM 1893 – 1907

Piet Mondrian, Still Life, Herrings, 1893

MONDRIAN’S EXPRESSIONISM 1907 – 1911

Piet Mondrian, The Red Cloud, 1907

MONDRIAN’S SYMBOLISM 1901 – 1911

Piet Mondrian, Evolution, 1911

MONDRIAN’S CUBISM 1911 – 1914

Piet Mondrian, Composition VII, 1913

MONDRIAN’S REVOLUTION 1915

Piet Mondrian, Pier and Ocean 5, 1915

TOWARD NEOPLASTICISM 1916 – 1920

Piet Mondrian, Checkerboard Composition with Dark Colors, 1919

NEOPLASTICISM 1920 – 1944

Piet Mondrian, Composition A with Red and Blue, 1932