Op de Ringdijk, Watergraafsmeer (1902) Art Print | Piet Mondrian

Piet Mondrian was a pioneer of abstract art and one of the key figures in the development of modernism. Born in the Netherlands, he began his artistic journey painting naturalistic landscapes, but his style evolved radically as he explored spiritual and philosophical ideas through art.

Influenced by Theosophy and Cubism, Mondrian gradually moved away from representational painting. By the 1920s, he developed his iconic style known as "neoplasticism" — compositions made of straight lines, right angles, and primary colors (red, blue, yellow) balanced with black, white, and gray. These works, such as Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow, sought to express universal harmony and order through pure abstraction.

Mondrian was deeply methodical, believing that art could reflect a higher spiritual reality. He became a founding member of the De Stijl movement and spent time in Paris, London, and ultimately New York, where the city’s dynamic energy inspired his final works. His Broadway Boogie Woogie captures that vibrant rhythm in grid-like brilliance.

Mondrian’s influence stretches far beyond the canvas — into architecture, fashion, design, and popular culture. His minimal, modern aesthetic continues to inspire artists and creatives around the world. He died in 1944, but his vision of a purified, balanced world lives on through his art.