Widely deemed one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Piet Mondrian is certainly an impressive figure. He has contributed immensely to the world of abstract art. You may be familiar with some of his incredible paintings (if you have ever seen any of L’Oréal’s hair products you certainly have), but do you know everything there is to know about Piet?
Below, are some facts you probably don’t know about Piet Mondrian.
Hitler believed Mondrian was a degenerate
It is certainly interesting to think that one of the most significant figures in history held strong opinions about Piet Mondrian. So, how was this opinion formed? Well, in 1937, two of Mondrian’s pieces were included in an exhibition called ‘Degenerate Art’ by Hitler. This meant that the Dutch painter was on the blacklist that the Nazis had put together. Piet Mondrian did not want to wait around and see what would happen if he came face-to-face with the brutal dictator’s forces, and so he moved to New York.
Mondrian LOVED Snow White
We all love a Disney film, right? Piet Mondrian’s favourite was Snow white. After seeing the film, he used to send postcards to his brother that were decorated with advertisements from the film. I would have never guessed that -would you?
His style is deeply rooted in spiritual belief
If you are a big fan of Piet Mondrian, this is something that you may know. However, a lot of people do not realise that spirituality is at the core of his work. This may not come as a surprise once you learn about his strict religious upbringing. However, he was also a member of the Theosophical Society. He believed that he freed objects by simplifying them, which meant breaking them down into their most fundamental and purest elements. That does seem a great starting point to abstract painting.
Piet Mondrian was a qualified art teacher
Imagine sitting in a class held by the master painter Piet Mondrian himself! That would be pretty amazing, right? Well, following the wishes of his family, Piet Mondrian obtained a degree in education. Just like his father, he became a certified drawing teacher. Nevertheless, he clearly did not pursue a career in teaching. Instead, he took more classes in drawing and painting himself. Once he moved to Amsterdam, he joined in with the activities of the local artist societies. It’s not hard to see why he did not need to fall back on his education degree.
His uncle and father are the main influences in his craft
Last but not least, his uncle, Frits Mondriaan, was a landscape painter and his dad was an amateur artist. Piet Mondrian cited them both as the main influences on his craft, teaching him how to draw and paint.
So there you have it: some surprising facts about Piet Mondrian.
Did you know all of the facts that were mentioned above?
Perhaps you have got some exciting facts about Mondrian to share with us too?
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