De Stijl: a radical, avant-garde influence

wp:paragraph 3 years ago, the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands celebrated the centenary of the creation of the De Stijl movement ("The Style" in Dutch). Founded in 1917 by the painter, architect and art theorist Theo van Doesburg, De Stijl was an avant-garde artistic movement that influenced twentieth-century architecture and town planning, and breathed new life into painting with its desire to create a codified abstract language, whose leading figure was Piet Mondrian. A movement born in Holland, its representatives - painters, architects, sculptors and poets, contemporaries of the Bauhaus School - spread their ideas over a period of fifteen years, in search of a universal harmony integrating all the arts. Their desire: to destroy the "baroque", or the desire to do away with decorative architecture through the use of "pure" colours and shapes. A look back at an unusual adventure and its protagonists... /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph The initiator of this movement, Theo van Doesburg (1883-1931), was trained as a painter and worked in a naturalist style until 1915. It was then that a major encounter changed his aesthetic and intellectual vision of the major arts. In 1915, he discovered the work of his compatriot Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). It was a shock to see painting that was no longer figurative, but already abstract. Mondrian, who had discovered the bold cubism of Picasso and Braque, gradually turned to abstract art, which was in full swing at the time. The initiator of this movement, Theo van Doesburg (1883-1931), was a painter by training who expressed himself in a naturalistic style until 1915. It was then that a major encounter changed his aesthetic and intellectual vision of the major arts. In 1915, he discovered the work of his compatriot Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). It was a shock to see painting that was no longer figurative, but already abstract. Mondrian, who had discovered the bold cubism of Picasso and Braque, gradually turned to abstract art, which was then in full bloom. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11846, "sizeSlug": "large"} Painting no. 2 Painting no. 2 , composition no. VII composition no. VII , oil on canvas by Piet Mondrian, 1913. By this time, Mondrian was already expressing an abstract style of painting. oil on canvas by Piet Mondrian, 1913. For his part, Piet Mondrian was inspired by a painting by his compatriot Bart van der Leck (1876-1958), The Tempest La Tempête (1916), which already followed some of the precepts of what would become the De Stijl manifesto. In particular, Piet Mondrian had the idea of reducing the colours of his next paintings to the 3 primary colours (red, yellow, blue) that appear in van der Leck's painting (in addition to black). He defined what he called neoplasticism, the practice of abstract, austere and geometric art. /wp:paragraph wp:embed {"url": "https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xg4gj6", "type": "video", "providerNameSlug": "dailymotion", "responsive":true, "align": "center", "className": "wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xg4gj6 https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xg4gj6 /wp:embed wp:paragraph In 1917, Theo van Doesburg officially founded De Stijl with Piet Mondrian and Bart van der Leck, but also with the Hungarian painter and designer Vilmos Huszár (1884-1960), the Belgian artist and sculptor Georges Vantongerloo (1886-1965), the Dutch architects Robert van' t Hoff (1887-1979), Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud (J.J.P. Oud, 1890-1963), Jan Wils (1891-1972), and the poet and writer Antony Kok (1892-1969). In doing so, Van Doesburg launched the group's manifesto magazine, De Stijl De Stijl , which was to last until his death in 1931, a year that marked the end of the De Stijl adventure. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11847, "sizeSlug": "large"} De Stijl magazine, 1st cover with the reproduction of a work by Theo van Doesburg: Composition 17 (1917), September 1921 . /wp:image wp:image {"align": "centre", "id":11848, "sizeSlug": "large"} Composition by Vilmos Huszár for De Stijl magazine Composition by Vilmos Huszár for De Stijl magazine . /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11849, "sizeSlug": "large"} Sculpture by Georges Vantongerloo, painted mahogany, Composition emanating from the ovoid, 1917. Sculpture by Georges Vantongerloo, painted mahogany, Composition emanating from the ovoid, 1917. Sculpture by Georges Vantongerloo, painted mahogany, Composition émanante de l'ovoïde, 1917. /wp:image wp:paragraph What guiding principle(s) did the movement claim? They wanted to create a total work of art, using a multidisciplinary approach in the search for an art that could intervene in all aspects of life. In concrete terms, their ideas are expressed through the sole use of "pure" colours (blue, yellow, red) and non-colours (white, grey, black), applied in flat tints (uniform colour and luminosity); the use of lines and combinations of colours on flat surfaces, the exclusive use of straight, orthogonal lines, shapes limited to rectangles and squares and a space energised by the interplay of diagonals. What guiding principle(s) do those involved in the movement claim? They want to build a total work of art, using a multidisciplinary approach in the search for an art that can be involved in all aspects of life. In concrete terms, their ideas are expressed through the sole use of 'pure' colours (blue, yellow, red) and non-colours (white, grey, black), applied in flat tints (uniform colour and luminosity); the use of lines and combinations of colours on flat surfaces, the exclusive use of straight, orthogonal lines, shapes limited to rectangles and squares and a space energised by the interplay of diagonals. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11850, "sizeSlug": "large"} Oil on canvas by Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Yellow, Blue and Black, 1921. One of Mondrian's best-known paintings, a perfect illustration of the De Stijl style! Oil on canvas by Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Yellow, Blue and Black, 1921. One of Mondrian's best-known paintings, a perfect illustration of the De Stijl style! Oil on canvas by Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Yellow, Blue and Black, 1921. One of Mondrian's best-known paintings, a perfect illustration of the De Stijl style! /wp:image wp:image {"align": "centre", "id":11851, "sizeSlug": "large"} Oil on canvas by Theo van Doesburg, Contra-Composition of Dissonances, XVI, 1925 Oil on canvas by Theo van Doesburg, Contra-Composition of Dissonances, XVI, 1925 . /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11852, "sizeSlug": "large"} Oil on canvas by Theo van Doesburg, Simultaneous Counter Composition, 1929. Oil on canvas by Theo van Doesburg, Simultaneous Counter Composition, 1929. Oil on canvas by Theo van Doesburg, Simultaneous Counter Composition, 1929. /wp:image wp:paragraph The rules laid down by the De Stijl movement were to influence the Bauhaus style, the international style in architecture, and even major figures of the period such as Le Corbusier and Robert Mallet-Stevens. In 1921, Theo van Doesburg organised a course on De Stijl's theories ("Stijl-Kursus") outside the Bauhaus, at the request of students and teachers. The architects Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe were attracted by the ideas of the movement, which sought to combine the plastic arts with architecture, graphics, typography and design, with the aim of improving the living environment of modern man. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11853, "sizeSlug": "large"} Armchair in wooden slats ti 1a, designed by Marcel Breuer, 1924. Marcel Breuer, the internationally renowned architect and designer who taught at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, drew inspiration for this geometrically shaped model from the ideas of De Stijl, and in particular from one of its most famous exponents: Gerrit Rietveld. Wooden slatted armchair ti 1a, designed by Marcel Breuer, 1924. Marcel Breuer, the internationally renowned architect and designer who taught at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, drew inspiration for this geometrically shaped model from the ideas of De Stijl, and in particular from one of its most famous exponents: Gerrit Rietveld. Wooden slatted armchair ti 1a, designed by Marcel Breuer, 1924. Marcel Breuer, the internationally renowned architect and designer who taught at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, drew inspiration for this geometrically shaped model from the ideas of De Stijl, and in particular from one of its most famous exponents: Gerrit Rietveld. /If Theo van Doesburg is the theorist and driving force behind the movement through the De Stijl magazine De Stijl , and Piet Mondrian his best-known representative for his painting that sublimates reality through the sheer force of geometric lines and 3 primary colours, the third key figure in the movement is Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964). Like van Doesburg, this Utrecht-born designer, architect and cabinetmaker produced buildings and furniture in the 1920s that were faithful to the theories developed by De Stijl. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph In 1918, when he knew nothing of the Dutch avant-garde, Gerrit Rietveld designed the Red and Blue chair, the Red and Blue chair. It was in 1919 that he met the creators of the movement, which he joined. 5 years later, in 1923, he applied the De Stijl principles by lacquering the seat with the 3 fundamental colours. Faithful to the minimalism advocated by De Stijl, the Red and Blue chair became a major piece of the movement and is now considered one of the most emblematic pieces of twentieth-century design. It redefined modernity at the time. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11854, "sizeSlug": "large"} Gerrit Rietveld's legendary Red and Blue Chair (1918-1923). Today it features prominently in the Cassina catalogue, in the "Masters" collection. The legendary Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld (1918-1923). It now features prominently in the Cassina catalogue, in the "Des Maîtres" collection. The legendary Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld (1918-1923). It now features prominently in the Cassina catalogue, in the "Des Maîtres" collection. /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11855, "sizeSlug": "large"} Berlin Chair, design Gerrit Rietveld, 1923 Berlin Chair, design Gerrit Rietveld, 1923 . /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11857, "sizeSlug": "large"} Another emblematic creation by Gerrit Rietveld: the famous Zig-Zag chair (1932-1934). A minimalist form for a seat that is functional because it is surprisingly stable, an economy of means taken to the extreme. Another emblematic creation by Gerrit Rietveld: the famous Zig-Zag chair (1932-1934). A minimalist form for a seat that is functional because it is surprisingly stable, an economy of means taken to the extreme. Another emblematic creation by Gerrit Rietveld: the famous Zig-Zag chair (1932-1934). A minimalist form for a seat that is functional because it is surprisingly stable, an economy of means taken to the extreme. /wp:image wp:image {"align": "centre", "id":11858, "sizeSlug": "large"} Side table in painted wood, designed in 1923 by Gerrit Rietveld for Schröder, Utrecht, manufactured by G. A. van de Groenekan. Painted wooden side table, designed in 1923 by Gerrit Rietveld for Schröder, Utrecht, made by G. A. van de Groenekan. Painted wooden side table, designed in 1923 by Gerrit Rietveld for Schröder, Utrecht, made by G. A. van de Groenekan. /wp:image wp:paragraph In 1924, Gerrit Rietveld was commissioned by Truus Schröder, a pharmacist by profession and involved in the De Stijl movement, to design her house, which became the Rietveld Schröderhuis ('Rietveld's Schröder House') in Utrecht. Gerrit Rietveld applied the principles of De Stijl to it. The project is an asymmetrical assembly of simple elements enhanced by the primary colours blue, red and yellow. Rietveld sought to synthesise the arts of painting, sculpture and architecture. He used straight lines and right angles, and created modular living spaces in the style of a Mondrian painting. The windows are large openings facing outwards to let the interior space bathe in light. /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11859, "sizeSlug": "large"} Schröder House, plans and design by Gerrit Rietveld, 1924. Owned by the Centraal Museum, Utrecht's art museum, the building was included on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000. Schröder House, plans and design by Gerrit Rietveld, 1924. Owned by the Centraal Museum, Utrecht's art museum, the building was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000. Schröder House, plans and design by Gerrit Rietveld, 1924. Owned by the Centraal Museum, Utrecht's art museum, the building was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000. /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11860, "sizeSlug": "large"} Other view of the Schröder House Other view of the Schröder House. - Schröder. - Picture by Hay Kranen Hay Kranen / CC-BY CC-BY ' /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11862, "sizeSlug": "large"} Detail of the windows in the house Detail of the windows in the Schröder house, which only open in one position: 90° in relation to the façade. - Schröder windows that open in only one position: 90° to the façade. - Picture by Sailko Sailko ' /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11863, "sizeSlug": "large"} Interior of the Schröder House Interior of the Schröder House Interior of the Schröder House /wp:image wp:paragraph Another example of the de Stijl style is the renovation of the Aubette on Place Kléber in Strasbourg. Jean Arp and his wife Sophie Taeuber-Arp were given the task of modernising the right wing of the building, which had become a faded leisure centre. They asked their friend Theo van Doesburg to help them with the interior design. Van Doesburg and the Arps agreed to create a harmonious whole according to the rules of De Stijl. The work, which lasted from 1926 to 1928, gave rise to a leisure complex of a new kind... Another architectural achievement that exemplifies the de Stijl style is the renovation of the Aubette on Place Kléber in Strasbourg. Jean Arp and his wife Sophie Taeuber-Arp were given the task of modernising the right wing of the building, which had become a faded leisure centre. They asked their friend Theo van Doesburg to help them with the interior design. Van Doesburg and the Arps agreed to create a harmonious whole according to the rules of De Stijl. The work, which lasted from 1926 to 1928, gave rise to a new kind of leisure complex... /wp:paragraph wp:image {"align": "centre", "id":11864, "sizeSlug": "large"} The Aubette Cine-Ball room. The compositions on the ceiling and walls of the hall were executed in relief. The geometric decorations were created by van Doesburg Salle du Ciné-bal de l'Aubette. The compositions on the ceiling and walls were executed in relief. The geometric decorations were created by van Doesburg. The windows, doors and all other elements reflect a deliberate orthogonality - 'Picture by Claude Truong-Ngoc' /wp:image wp:image {"align": "centre", "id":11865, "sizeSlug": "large"} The Aubette Ciné-Bal, seen from the east. The Ciné-Bal was listed as a historic monument in 1985. View of the Aubette Ciné-Bal from the east. The Ciné-Bal was listed as a historic monument in 1985. - Picture by Claude Truong-Ngoc' /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11866, "sizeSlug": "large"} Salle des fêtes de l'Aubette. A striking geometric grid of space! The interior layout of the leisure centre was rediscovered in the 1970s. The Salle des fêtes was listed as a historic monument in 1989. The Aubette village hall. A striking geometric grid of space! The interior layout of the leisure centre was rediscovered in the 1970s. The Salle des fêtes was listed as a historic monument in 1989. - Picture by Claude Truong-Ngoc' /wp:image wp:image {"align": "center", "id":11867, "sizeSlug": "large"} The staircase leading to the 1st floor, a geometric work in its own right... /wp:image wp:paragraph A realist and somewhat utopian manifesto, theoretical dissensions gradually fragmented De Stijl, which disappeared with the death of Theo van Doesburg. For its time, however, De Stijl was terribly modern, heralding the victory of the international style. In any case, De Stijl continues to fascinate art and design lovers, and continues to influence contemporary designers. A realist and, to some extent, utopian manifesto, theoretical disagreements gradually fragmented De Stijl, which disappeared with the death of Theo van Doesburg. For its time, however, De Stijl was terribly modern, heralding the victory of the international style. In any case, De Stijl continues to fascinate art and design lovers, and still influences contemporary designers. /wp:paragraph wp:paragraph {"align": "right"} François Boutard François Boutard /wp:paragraph

De Stijl: a radical, avant-garde influence

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