Piet Mondrian

Composition with black, red, grey, yellow and blue

Artwork Detail

Piet Mondrian was regarded by many as the founder of abstract art. He first began to examine the relationships of form and colour after seeing a 1910 Cubist exhibition, which included works by Picasso and Braque. Mood was important to Mondrian. He wanted his works to feel harmonious and calm, which he achieved through the juxtaposition of rectangular forms and pure colours. He moved to New York in later life, using similar grid patterns to capture the vibrant movement and energy of bustling Manhattan streets. This is thought to be the only painting by Mondrian in an Australasian gallery.

Title
Composition with black, red, grey, yellow and blue
Artist/creator
Piet Mondrian
Production date
1920s
Medium
gouache with traces of pencil on paper laid down on card
Dimensions
278 x 191 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Julian and Josie Robertson through the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, 2023
Accession no
2023/6/8
Other ID
X2009/12/8 Former Exhibition Number
Copyright
Copyright Expired
Department
International Art
Display status
On display

To find out which artworks are available for print requests and reproduction please enquire here. This service only applies to select artworks in the Gallery's collection.