Piet Mondrian: EnchantedLearning.com

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Piet Mondrian: An Abstract Painter from The Netherlands

A picture in the style of Mondrian.

Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan, Jr., (March 7, 1872-February 1, 1944) was a Dutch abstract painter born in Amersfoort (he is usually referred to as Piet Mondrian). He painted in a spare, precise, geometric manner mostly using primary colors. It was a style that Mondrian called neoplasticism ("nieuwe beelding" in Dutch).

Mondrian was born in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. After studying to be a teacher, Mondrian studied art at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts) from 1892 until 1897. During this time, he painted mostly landscapes (including a series on trees).

He moved to Paris, France, around 1912. During World War 1, he moved back to the Netherlands. In 1917, he, Theo van Doesburg, and some others founded a very influential art magazine called "De Stijl," which means "The Style."

In 1919, Mondrian returned to Paris, where he stayed until 1938. That year, he moved to London, England, where he painted for two years. In 1940, he moved to New York, USA, where he spent the final four years of his life.

Mondrian's paintings did not sell very well during his lifetime. Mondrian had his first one-man show when he was 70 years old (two years before he died of pneumonia); it was at the Valentin Dudensing Gallery in New York City.

Art Activities, a Printout and an Online Coloring Page:

An art activity based on the geometric work of Mondrian.
A coloring page based on Mondrian's style of geometric painting.
Or paint it online.

References:
A page on Mondrian from the WebMuseum.
Many Mondrian works from the ArtArchive
A chronology of Mondrian's evolution as a painter.