Piet Mondrian: The Studios

Here is a visual journey through Piet Mondrian's life and career via the artist's studios, following his path from Amsterdam to Laren, and then to Paris, London and New York. Each location represents a distinct stage in the development of Mondrian's art, from the naturalistic paintings of the 1890s and the experimental neo-Impressionist works of the early 20th century, to his involvement with the De Stijl movement and his famous grid paintings, and finally the bold dynamism of his late work in the United States, inspired by the rhythms of jazz and the buzzing metropolis. Mondrian saw his studios as more than just workspaces; they were the embodiment of his artistic and philosophical ideas. As his art took simplification of form to an extreme, the walls of his studios became ever-changing planes that he used for the display of primary-coloured rectangles. Illustrated with a wealth of paintings as well as personal photographs, documents and texts written by Mondrian himself, the book captures every facet of this uncompromising artist's quest to represent the spirits of the modern world.