An unprecedented photo-biography of Mondrian at work and at play--from
informal snapshots to formal portraits and scenes of his studio and
social life
The public image of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) is usually one of a
serious man in a suit and tie with a reserved, rather aloof demeanor.
This image was shaped by a small group of some 10 photographs, although
there are around 400 known photographs of the artist and his studios
that provide a far more balanced and livelier portrait of the real
Mondrian.
This gorgeous book is not a biography but rather a visual account of
Mondrian's life that vividly evokes the world of this most
emblematically modern of artists. The archival photographs reproduced
here show that Mondrian's studios in Amsterdam, Paris and New York were
works of art themselves, as fascinating as the guests seen visiting
them. Also included here are snapshots showing Mondrian's daily life,
taken during journeys or visits; photographs of openings and dinners;
and formal portraits that he used to promote the image of a serious and
uncompromising artist. Detailed captions and richly illustrated essays
on the significance of photography in the context of Mondrian's work
make this book an extraordinary document of his time.
