The artwork “Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue” by Piet Mondrian was created in 1922 and is emblematic of the Neoplasticism movement. Painted in oil on canvas, this abstract piece measures 16.5 x 19 cm and is currently housed at the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence, France. This work is a reflection of Mondrian’s artistic philosophy, which sought to convey a sense of universal harmony through a reduction to basic forms and colors.
The artwork features a composition that is deceptively simple, employing a limited palette of bold primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—interspersed with non-colors such as white, grey, and black. Mondrian’s use of straight horizontal and vertical lines creates distinct, yet interrelated spaces on the canvas, each meticulously filled with either color or the absence of it. These geometric forms are balanced in such a way that no single element dominates the composition, instead, they each contribute to the overall sense of equilibrium and harmony that defines the piece.
Mondrian’s precise application of paint, along with the sharpness of the lines and the clarity of the colors, suggests a mathematical precision in the artwork’s layout. Rather than depicting a scene from reality, Mondrian aims to transcend the specific and evoke a universal aesthetic experience that resonates with the viewer on a fundamental, intuitive level. This strives to create a visual language that aligns with his philosophical ideals of purity, reduction, and essential form. Through such works, Mondrian has profoundly influenced the development of abstract art as we understand it today.
