Not often do we have a chance to, when discussing an artist, observe a clear journey in a style. We are left under impression that they were born great, on the outbreak of their careers experimented with few so-called "periods" and then marched on with the Great Art that we watch with awe today. Yet every painter, sculptor, designer and everyone else had to learn and it is clear upon seeing the chronological works of Piet Mondrian - a man who traveled around the world seeking for his unique means of expression, his new aesthetics and who finally became one of the most recognizable artists of the twentieth century.Mondrian joined the Academy of Fine Arts when he already was a teacher. He was already past his "prime" age before fully committing to painting - first it started out as a hobby. The first works are mostly landscapes, done in few different styles, yet the simplification of both form and colour is seemingly present. Mondrian discovered his own characteristic style after trying to simplify a tree and getting the grid of black lines and squares in primary colours - truly, it doesn't get simpler than that.
He lived in Paris, the Netherlands and Manhattan for a periods of time. With Theo van Doesburg formed De Stijl - an art and design collaborative group that continues to inspire to the present day - just think about how many time you've seen the minimalistic print on clothes, walls or furniture.
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