Piet Mondrian

Visual Arts Dutch 1872 – 1944 59 quotes

A Dutch painter and art theoretician, he is regarded as one of the pioneers of 20th-century abstract art, known for his grid-based paintings with primary colors.

Quotes by Piet Mondrian

Abstraction is the path to universality.

Speech 1930

In art, less is more; simplicity reveals depth.

Essay 1920

The soul of art lies in its emotional purity.

Letter 1914

Modern life demands a new aesthetic.

De Stijl 1922

Colors must be used with restraint to achieve harmony.

Interview 1918

The essence of beauty is equilibrium.

Personal reflection 1935

Art transforms the mundane into the eternal.

Writing 1940

Vertical and horizontal: the axes of the universe.

Neo-Plasticism 1919

True freedom in art comes from discipline.

Essay 1921

The artist channels the spirit of the age.

Speech 1932

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in creation.

Letter 1925

Plastic art must be non-objective to be pure.

Book 1917

Life and art are one in their pursuit of harmony.

Personal reflection 1944

The grid is the skeleton of composition.

Writing 1920

Intuition guides the hand of the true artist.

Interview 1915

Abstraction liberates the spirit from the material.

Essay 1930

In the end, all art aspires to the condition of music.

Personal reflection 1922

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.

Attributed saying

As my father's son, I have always been drawn to the abstract.

Early letter 1900