Trafalgar Square
Piet Mondrian
Dutch, 1872–1944
1939–43
An oil on canvas in which Piet Mondrian pares painting down to a careful grid of black vertical and horizontal lines and a few primary-color rectangles to pursue a universal, abstract harmony.
The eye meets a strict, rhythmic lattice of thick black bars that organizes broad white planes, while small red, blue, and yellow blocks punctuate the surface and create a calm but dynamic tension and balance.
A hallmark of Mondrian’s mature Neoplasticism (De Stijl), this work distilled painting to geometric essentials and helped redefine visual language for modern design, architecture, and later minimalist art.
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
57 1/4 x 47 1/4" (145.2 x 120 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William A. M. Burden
Accession
510.1964
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
